Thursday, October 31, 2019

International NGO's and Measurement of Impacts Research Paper

International NGO's and Measurement of Impacts - Research Paper Example Many of international NGOs are charitable and development oriented. Therefore, NGO is distinct entities with many special requirements and needs that differentiate them from profit-making organizations. Most of the support of NGOs comes from individuals willing to commit their energy and time to make difference in communities (Lewis, 2006). This implies that Non- Governmental Organizations are heterogeneous in their nature.  Ã‚   Many of major international Non-governmental organizations work within main international organizations in Geneva. Geneva serves as headquarters of major international Non-governmental Organizations. Many international organizations work across fields such as trade and development, environment, education, health, and human rights. Management of international organizations is independent of any form of government (Lewis, 2010). NGOs are not part of the government and therefore not conventional to for profit making. The mandate of a non-governmental organization is to drive development that transforms societies and nations all over the world. Non-governmental Organization requires sound management in order to carry its activities in the most efficient way. Non-governmental Organizations are privately set up with sufficient autonomous in their activities. To get its activities done, international NGOs have sound management through the creation of Boards. The board of international Non-governmental Organizations comprises of leaders who have similar interests in terms of developments. To increase effectiveness and productivity, Non-governmental Organizations strives to bring together leaders and organizations to the board. The principal aim of these organizations is to build capacity through training and develop governance and management tools.  Ã‚  

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Are Stem Cell Treatments Effective Research Paper

Are Stem Cell Treatments Effective - Research Paper Example The embryonic SCs (ESCs) are â€Å"pluripotent† cells which can produce tissues of all embryonic germ layers namely, endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm. The adult SCs (ASCs) are â€Å"multipotent† cells having the capacity to generate a limited subset of cells (Lodi et al., 2011). of The characteristic ability of the stem cells to renew themselves continuously for long periods and differentiate into specific cell types under appropriate conditions (Zhong, 2008) make them good candidates for cell-based therapies in regenerative or reparative medicine, especially to treat conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis and several neurodegenerative diseases. Research on and application of ESCs for clinical use is a raging controversy. No regular human ESC therapies are available yet. According to the latest literature on the topic, the only on-going clinical trials employing ESC are being conducted on patients with spinal cord injury (Aznar and Sanchez, 2011 ). However, numerous trials have been/are being conducted with ASCs. ... The human heart muscle damaged by a heart attack does not heal naturally. The primary treatment protocol involves a rapid reperfusion of the infarct related coronary artery in order to curtail the ischemic area and reduce tissue damage (Lodi et al., 2011). Also, angioplasty is required to be conducted soon after, to effectively reestablish the coronary flow. A new strategy of restoring damaged heart tissue is through facilitating repair or regeneration of the tissue. Using ASCs as well as ESCs for heart muscle repair is, currently, an active area of research (stemcells.nih.gov). Autologous skeletal myoblast transplantation undertaken as a major multicenter study for MI treatment did not show any improvement especially with regard to the echocardiographic heart function (Menasche et al., 2008) but improvement in the ejection fraction (EF) was noted (Hagege et al., 2006). Adult human stem cells therapy (AHSCT) could successfully improve EF without causing adverse left ventricular remod eling (Schachinger et al., 2009). Also, in a multicenter double-blind study, intracoronary infusion of HSCs into the infarct artery of 204 patients with acute MI following successful reperfusion therapy was found to significantly reduce MI recurrence restenosis or arrhythmia which are two major adverse post-MI cardiovascular events (Schachinger et al., 2006). Bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells introduced with a catheter into the heart of 21 patients with severe heart failure in a nonrandomized, open-label study appreciably improved myocardial blood flow with associated enhancement of regional and global left ventricular function (Perin et

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Implement an Information System for SMARTS

Implement an Information System for SMARTS 1 Introduction Purpose of Document The purpose of this document is the outline the specification to implement an Information System for SMARTS. This document details the process of moving from the current system to the proposed system that was developed in addition to migrating data, also to plan for the implementation of a Help Desk to be available to staff through a Service Level Agreement. Scope In Scope Out of Scope Plan Installation of FROSTIE and SCIMITAR Integration with Surbiton Workshop Installation of FROSTIE and SCIMITAR Recruiting Staff for Help Desk Data Migration Analysis, Design and Coding of the System Staff Training Installing and Configuring the Networks End User support for FROSTIE and SCIMITAR Installation of Network Servers End User support all other Information Systems Software installation and configuration of Web Browser (Internet Explorer) 2 Installation 2.1 Deployment Plan We are planning to do a combination of Phased Geographic Deployment plan and Phased Modules plan for SCIMITAR and FROSTIE systems, this plan enables the deployment of the new system into different phases for each workshop, the 1st workshop being the Bow in east London, then Stanmore in north London then lastly will be Streatham in south London and Modules can be installed on an incremental approach. SCIMITAR and FROSTIE will be installed on the Application Server and each workstation will be configured to access them through a Web Browser, each machine in the network will require the exact same browser to minimize the risk of user confusion. The Head office will be the first point of installation and then the other two workshops will come in after. 2.2 Data Migration Data must be migrated from various forms, most of which is from Databases from the current digital systems and some data is from current paper based system databases. All stocked items must be checked and verified by the staff before the data is Migrated to ensure correct entry of data into the new system. The data that is part of the digital databases can be converted to the new system through a software program that is specialized in ETL (Extraction, Transformation, Loading) to the new system. Staff will also be selected to have authority over selected data to be migrated to the new system. Data that will be processed is as follows; Data Date SCIMITAR FROSTIE Conversion Responsibility Clients √ ETL Admin Fabric √ √ ETL Admin Fees √ ETL Admin Jobs √ Manual Admin Patterns √ √ Manual Admin POs √ Manual Admin Stock Cat. √ √ ETL Admin Stock Qty √ Manual / ETL Admin Suppliers √ Manual Admin Tailors √ √ ETL Tailors The Data Migration will commence three weeks to two weeks ahead of the new systems going live. 2.3 Training Who What to Train On How to Train Where to Train Senior Users DFDs Complete Overview Classroom Training Head office NISS Staff Complete Overview On the Job Training Head office Managers Complete Overview Train the Trainers Head office Executives DFDs One on One Training Head office Training is planned to take place one week before the new system goes live. 2.4 Business Change Issues Issues will arise if the business continuity is compromised. SMARTS business hours cannot be stopped to perform installation, if this happens, this can result in loss of Business, loss of Customers, Loss of goodwill and Loss of Cash Flow. Databases may become corrupt and data may become unreadable, causing the business significant losses. Issues can arise internally by employees fearing that their patterns of work may change and may think that their jobs may be at risk, employees may think that they may have additional responsibilities and roles to fulfill and may not get salary compensation for the additional tasks. Employees can get intimidated by the new system that will be used and hence cause them to have a higher risk of making mistakes and entering errors. Staff may deny the need to get training because of their normal work schedules. The new system is not perfect and a flaw in the system that was not initially detected can have a fatal effect after installation. 3 Support 3.1 Support Needs All users of the SCIMITAR and FROSTIE systems at SMARTS will have access to the Support Services, the service will be scheduled to have full working time at the same time of SMARTS business hours which is between the hours of 9:00 and 18:00 Monday to Friday, 9:30 to 17:30 on Saturdays, closed on Sundays and UK Bank Holidays. 3.2 The NISS Help Desk The model that will be used for the NISS help desk will be the Touch and Hold Support Model, and employ the Three Level Structure where the First Level is the Front-Line staff, this is where your calls will be initially answered and resolved, the Second Level is the Back-End Staff, this is when the issue requires special expertise within the issue. Lately, the Third Level is Draper Consulting Limited (DCL), there the user can get expert help on the issue and can give feedback on any bugs in the system of give suggestions about improving the system further. The NISS help desk office department will be held in the Head office, so the normal working hours of the Head Office will dictate the hours of the NISS staff.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Relation between Pearl and Nature in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet

The Relation between Pearl and Nature in The Scarlet Letter      Ã‚  Ã‚   In Nathaniel Hawthorne's work, The Scarlet Letter, nature plays a very symbolic role. Throughout the book, nature is incorporated into the story line. One example of this is with the character of Pearl. Pearl is very different than all the other characters due to her special relationship with Nature. Hawthorne personifies Nature as sympathetic towards sins against the puritan way of life. Hester's sin causes Nature to accept Pearl. First it is necessary to examine how nature is identified with sin against the Puritan way of life. The first example of this is found in the first chapter regarding the rosebush at the prison door. This rosebush is located "on one side of the portal, and rooted almost at the threshold"(36) of the prison. The prison naturally is the place where people that have sinned against the puritan way of life remain. Then Hawthorne suggests that the roses of the rose-bush "might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner as he went in, and to the condemned criminal as he came forth to his doom, in token that the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to him"(36). This clearly states that Nature is kind to prisoners and criminals that pass through the prison doors. Hawthorne strengthens this point by suggesting two possible reasons for the rosebush's genesis. The first is that "it had merely survived out of the stern old wilderness..."(36), while the second rea son is that "there is fair authority for believing [the rose-bush] had sprung up under the footsteps of the sainted Ann Hutchinson..."(36). By Hawthorne's wording it appears as if he is emphasizing the second reason because he suggests there is "fai... ... little girl's banishment from Puritan society she was thrown to another way of life and her wildness and peculiarity is a direct product of her banishment. Works Cited and Consulted: Aym, Richard. Nature in The Scarlet Letter. Classic Notes http://www.gradesaver.com/classicnotes/titles/thescarletletter/fullsumm.html. February 15, 2002. Brown, Bryan D. "Reexamining Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. http://www.usinternet.com/users/bdbournellonie.htm. March 1, 2002. Clendenning, John. "Nathaniel Hawthorne." The World Book Encyclopedia. 2000 ed. Griswold, Rufus Wilmot. "The Scarlet Letter." The Library of Literary Criticism of English and American Authors. Ed. Charles Wells Moulton. Gloucester, Massachusetts: Peter Smith Publishing, 1989. 341-371. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Penguin Books USA Inc., 1996.    Relation between Pearl and Nature in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet The Relation between Pearl and Nature in The Scarlet Letter      Ã‚  Ã‚   In Nathaniel Hawthorne's work, The Scarlet Letter, nature plays a very symbolic role. Throughout the book, nature is incorporated into the story line. One example of this is with the character of Pearl. Pearl is very different than all the other characters due to her special relationship with Nature. Hawthorne personifies Nature as sympathetic towards sins against the puritan way of life. Hester's sin causes Nature to accept Pearl. First it is necessary to examine how nature is identified with sin against the Puritan way of life. The first example of this is found in the first chapter regarding the rosebush at the prison door. This rosebush is located "on one side of the portal, and rooted almost at the threshold"(36) of the prison. The prison naturally is the place where people that have sinned against the puritan way of life remain. Then Hawthorne suggests that the roses of the rose-bush "might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner as he went in, and to the condemned criminal as he came forth to his doom, in token that the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to him"(36). This clearly states that Nature is kind to prisoners and criminals that pass through the prison doors. Hawthorne strengthens this point by suggesting two possible reasons for the rosebush's genesis. The first is that "it had merely survived out of the stern old wilderness..."(36), while the second rea son is that "there is fair authority for believing [the rose-bush] had sprung up under the footsteps of the sainted Ann Hutchinson..."(36). By Hawthorne's wording it appears as if he is emphasizing the second reason because he suggests there is "fai... ... little girl's banishment from Puritan society she was thrown to another way of life and her wildness and peculiarity is a direct product of her banishment. Works Cited and Consulted: Aym, Richard. Nature in The Scarlet Letter. Classic Notes http://www.gradesaver.com/classicnotes/titles/thescarletletter/fullsumm.html. February 15, 2002. Brown, Bryan D. "Reexamining Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. http://www.usinternet.com/users/bdbournellonie.htm. March 1, 2002. Clendenning, John. "Nathaniel Hawthorne." The World Book Encyclopedia. 2000 ed. Griswold, Rufus Wilmot. "The Scarlet Letter." The Library of Literary Criticism of English and American Authors. Ed. Charles Wells Moulton. Gloucester, Massachusetts: Peter Smith Publishing, 1989. 341-371. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Penguin Books USA Inc., 1996.   

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Common Theme in Cinderella and Barbie Doll

In the two poems, â€Å"Cinderella and Barbie Doll,† both authors use different literary devices to prove a common theme. The common theme throughout both poems is that people will mutilate themselves to obtain what they perceive as happiness. Also, the poems show how societies create a standard of living, which classifies how certain genders should act. The poem â€Å"Cinderella† by Anne Sexton is describing the original fairytale â€Å"Cinderella† in a distorted view. Anne Sexton begins her poem by giving examples of impoverished people such as a plumber, a nursemaid, a milkman, and a charwoman whom accidentally got lucky in life and morphed into lavishly living citizens. In the first four stanzas, Sexton uses antistrophe to further convey how important â€Å"that story† is to the poem (line 5, 10, and 21). Anne Sexton then shifts to recounting the story of Cinderella in stanza 5. She describes a young girl who lives with her father, mean stepmother, and two pretty, but despicable stepsisters, after her kind mother dies. The poet uses similes to describe both the two stepdaughters (Line 29) and Cinderella's slave-like tendencies (Line 32). She then talks about how a dove comes out of a tree, granting her every wish. The day of the ball, the dove helps her pick up all the lentils her stepmother had thrown on the floor as a trick to hinder her from going. And with this challenge completed, the dove also gives Cinderella the full royal clothes and treatment. For two days, at the ball, Cinderella manages to steal the prince's heart, escape her stepmother and sister's recognition, and flee back into the pigeon house before getting caught. However, the third day, her shoe gets stuck on the sticky waxed steps, thus giving the prince an opportunity to search for his princess by making every girl in the kingdom try the slipper on. In the poem, Cinderella's sisters cut off part of their feet, to get the shoe to fit; however when Cinderella slips her foot into it, it fits perfectly. Stanza 10 encourages sympathy with revenge instead of fighting back; â€Å"and the white dove pecked their eyes out. (97). The author uses a simile, â€Å"like two dolls in a museum case† (102), to describe the idea ow women lived like they had a glass ceiling over their head. This further conveys the theme of the poem being how societies create a standard of living, which classifies how genders should act. In the last stanza, Cinderella marries the prince and the wedded couple lives happily ever. Lines 103-106 portrays the author's use of asyndeton to convey how Cinderella and the prince lived with no hardships, which further conveys the theme of the poem that people will mutilate themselves to obtain what they perceive as happiness. Anne Sexton's language is dark, informal, and humorous. Darkness is achieved when she describes violent scenes of slicing feet, or pecking eyes. Informality shows through the way she addresses the reader directly every now and then. And humor is conveyed in the way Sexton elaborates on the revolting scenes and describes those using comic similes, such as â€Å"the hollow spots where the eyes once existed, resembling soup spoons. † The ending of the poem reveals what is always left out of fairytales, reality. And Sexton somehow implies that a lack of life's hardships and tiny imperfections is not the happy ever after life, but rather a predictable existence. She declares in the end that Cinderella and her prince don't deserve the prize of living the dream, â€Å"their smiles are plastered; they are neither genuine nor sincere (107). † Cinderella is just like the plumber, the charwoman, or the nursemaid. She got lucky. None of them worked their way to the top. And that's what they deserved, a seemingly happy life, with nothing to be happy about. The attitude throughout the poem is also very critical of the characters in the poem and judge mental of the Grime Brother's original fairytale. The common misconception in the poem is that many people with seemingly perfect lives have hardships just like everybody else. â€Å"Barbie Doll† by Marge Piercy is a poem written as a fairy-tale of sorts, and suggests that the enormous social pressures on women to conform to particular ways of looking and behaving are ultimately destructive. In lines 2-4, Marge Piercy uses polysyndeton to convey how important a girl's accessories are. Then in lines 5-6, the poem experiences a shift, where the speaker chooses to end the stanza in an ironic way. In stanza two, the poet's diction describes the irony of the girlchild having an â€Å"abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity† (9-10). Being good with one’s hands (manual dexterity) is a conventional male trait and similarly, while having an â€Å"abundant sexual drive† for boys might be seen as a good thing, for girl's it is been looked down on; thus supporting the theme that certain gender's should act how society wants them too. Stanza four describes how much society influenced the girl child and lines 12-14; asyndeton is used to show how much society can ask of women. The poem ends full of irony. The very person that the girlchild could never be is the person â€Å"appearing† in her casket (19-23). It is ironic that the very people who couldn't appreciate the girlchild for who she was in life, now admire the person she is made to be in death. The last line of the poem echoes the happy ending of fairy-tales. Piercy is saying that because of women’s subservient position in society, it is often difficult for their lives to have happy endings. In â€Å"Barbie Doll†, it is society that achieves consummation. â€Å"Barbie Doll† is a narrative poem written in free verse and can be read as a parable of what often happens to women in a patriarchal society. The moral of Piercy’s poem also functions as a warning: it urges readers to be aware of the ways in which society shapes our identities and urges women not to compare themselves to idealized notions of feminine beauty or behavior. Cinderella Story† shows the gullibility of women and the unrealistic dream we all have about meeting the perfect man and leading the perfect life. It opens our eyes to the fact that the fairy tale conveyed in the original â€Å"Cinderella† rarely ever happens in real life. Society influences children and women profoundly to the point where they are willing or wanting to change absolutely everything about themselves or die in the poem, â€Å"Barbie Doll. Society is also willing to tell people how they should act, specifically based on gender, and if someone falls from that certain spectrum, then they are no good for society. Anne Sexton and Marge Piercy communicate the theme of both poems through the utilization of tone and literary devices. â€Å"Cinderella† and â€Å"Barbie Doll† share the common theme that people will mutilate themselves to obtain what they perceive as happiness and that society create a standard of living, which classifies how certain genders should act.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Tuesdays with Morrie Book review

Memoir is an Inspirational memoir, by Mitch Album. It is a well- written novel which is mainly concerned with the rejection of the popular culture. If you enjoy nonfiction. And life-lesson giving themes, then you should read this book. Album included himself into the story as Mitch, Morris's old student. The novel is expressed from Album's own point of view of his character In the novel. This has many influences on the novel, and is more controllable for him. Eve chosen this novel due to the fact that I read it for summer reading, and this novel really gave me arioso thoughts and tons of inspiration, Album frequently used symbolism throughout his novel. Album uses a pink hibiscus life representing Morris's life. Since the first day, the plant's life started fading and so did Morris's. Memoir stated throughout the book â€Å"when you're in bed you're dead,† (131) so he always preferred to stay in his chair. When Morris's last days come closer he decides to stay in his bed due t o Immobility and other ALLS causes.Memoir eventually lived his last day on his bed on the Last Tuesday. Another example of symbolism used by Album is the media. The media was referred to as an evil dictator throughout the book. It also caused Match's state of mind before he met Memoir; Mitch was so much of a workaholic that the only thing on his mind was the money. The novel is basically emphasizing that the society. Media, and pop-culture do not contribute anything to the people. The novel had a very sentimental meaning to Album.Album, who is â€Å"Mitch† in the novel, visits his old professor Memoir, who suffers from ALLS (Metamorphic Lateral Sclerosis). They meet every Tuesday as his disease starts and continues to progress. Album, as I mentioned earlier, included himself as a character in his novel with his first name, Mitch. Memoir was Match's old sociology professor at his time In college. Mitch just supported and helped Memoir with everything and anything. Morris's goa l was to make Mitch cry and inspire him at some point, which he eventually did.Memoir wanted to attach Mitch to the world again, due to Match's detachment blaming it to society. Mitch and Memoir were both my favorite characters, there Is no In-between. They both inspired me in some type of way. The antagonist was the ALLS disease, which in real life Memoir had to go through. I have participated In a camp experience located in Counterpoint, Texas. At this amazing place, kids/adults of all ages and sizes come and go. This Is the place where they have the mum of their lives, not a drop of sadness is present.I took care of an 8-year old who suffered from Ret Syndrome. I was her companion for a week and my life changed the instant I met her. I do not and will not ever take anything in life for granted. This book has now become #1 on my list of favorites. My favorite scene was every single Tuesday. Mitch and Memoir always had did something that lights up every reader. There are no least f avorite parts in this memoir, I admire Album. I would totally recommend this book to anyone who asks me a recommendation.Any type of person would like his book, no matter the genre the reader personally reads. Album basically wrote what I feel, and how I changed after my experience. I t Off change my perspective, he can change anyone's. Album couldn't have done better when writing this momentous material. Memoir has changed many hearts, and has inspired numerous amounts of people. Society today is best described in the book, as evil. Mitch and Memoir are my inspiration, and I hope they continue to grow more love under everyone's hearts'.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Free Essays on The End

The last days of Socrates, immediately before his execution was going to take place in Athens. In the dialogue, Socrates’’ friend, Crito, proposes that Socrates escape from prison. Socrates considers this proposal, trying to decide if escaping would be â€Å"â€Å"just†Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"â€Å"morally justified.†Ã¢â‚¬  Eventually, Socrates concludes that the act is considered â€Å"â€Å"unjust†Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"â€Å"morally unjustified.†Ã¢â‚¬  Socrates decides to accept his death penalty and execution. Socrates was a man who would obey truth in all matters. In his refusal to accept exile from Athens or silence as a penalty, he takes the penalty of death and is thrown into prison. While Socrates is awaiting his execution, many of his friends, including Crito, arrive with a foolproof plan for his escape from Athens to live in exile voluntarily. Socrates calmly debates with each friend over the moral value and justification of such an act. Crito believed that by helping Socrates to escape, he could go on to fulfill his personal obligations. Also, if Socrates does not follow the plan, many people would assume that his friends did not care about him enough to help him escape or that his friends are not willing to give their time or money in order to help him. Therefore, Crito goes on to argue that Socrates ought to escape from the prison. After listening to Crito’’s arguments, Socrates dismisses them as irrelevant to a decision about what action is truly right. In the arguments that Socrates makes, what other people think does not matter. The only opinions that should matter are the ones of the individuals that truly know. According to Socrates, the only opinion that he is willing to consider would be that of the state. The argument moves from one of a general moral decision to the morality of his specific case. He basically says avoiding the sentence handed down by the jury would be disobeying the state, Socrates decides not to es... Free Essays on The End Free Essays on The End The last days of Socrates, immediately before his execution was going to take place in Athens. In the dialogue, Socrates’’ friend, Crito, proposes that Socrates escape from prison. Socrates considers this proposal, trying to decide if escaping would be â€Å"â€Å"just†Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"â€Å"morally justified.†Ã¢â‚¬  Eventually, Socrates concludes that the act is considered â€Å"â€Å"unjust†Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"â€Å"morally unjustified.†Ã¢â‚¬  Socrates decides to accept his death penalty and execution. Socrates was a man who would obey truth in all matters. In his refusal to accept exile from Athens or silence as a penalty, he takes the penalty of death and is thrown into prison. While Socrates is awaiting his execution, many of his friends, including Crito, arrive with a foolproof plan for his escape from Athens to live in exile voluntarily. Socrates calmly debates with each friend over the moral value and justification of such an act. Crito believed that by helping Socrates to escape, he could go on to fulfill his personal obligations. Also, if Socrates does not follow the plan, many people would assume that his friends did not care about him enough to help him escape or that his friends are not willing to give their time or money in order to help him. Therefore, Crito goes on to argue that Socrates ought to escape from the prison. After listening to Crito’’s arguments, Socrates dismisses them as irrelevant to a decision about what action is truly right. In the arguments that Socrates makes, what other people think does not matter. The only opinions that should matter are the ones of the individuals that truly know. According to Socrates, the only opinion that he is willing to consider would be that of the state. The argument moves from one of a general moral decision to the morality of his specific case. He basically says avoiding the sentence handed down by the jury would be disobeying the state, Socrates decides not to es...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Essay Sample on Brand Management The Effect of Brand Senses

Essay Sample on Brand Management The Effect of Brand Senses Introduction The five senses are the physiological capability that provides inputs for perception in organisms. These senses and their theory, classification and operation are overlapping the variety of studied topics in diversified fields. The branding of the five senses has experienced a wide variety of changes since 1960 thorough explanation of various theories. The branding has affected the branding management which is an essential component in today marketing (Thomas, Hutt Michael, 2004, 16). Seeing Seeing or vision refers to the eyes ability to detect and focus of the light visibility on retinas photoreceptors. The branding of an eye has experienced a wide range of theories since 1960 on which various terms have been associated with it. Generally, it generates electrical nerve impulses for varying brightness, colors and hues whereby the rods and cones are involved in the color and light sensitivity of the brand. In 1985 seeing was branded as a process whereby an eye actively participates in visionary acts sending the message to brain for review. The branding of hearing was most prominent in 1991 when Ramachandran Vilayanur, a professor of University of California, San Diego in neuroscience points out that hearing is a good rule of thumb in our sunlight world. There was some disagreement on this sense as to whether this constitutes to other planets as it collaborates with the other one, two or three senses. Neuroanatomists have come up with various perceptions on the theories th at have taken place in defining the hearing concept and its influence from the brain. A drink company took its gin and repackaged it in a transparent glass for the consumers to see the rich combination of its ingredients (Lindstrom Martin, 2007, 49). The move to repackage was later followed by big portfolio of advertisement which highly focused on the colorful flavors as well as aromas to convey the sense of smell. Hearing Hearing is the sense of sound perception also called audition which is hearing is all about vibration. Hearing has experienced a considerable occasional branding over the past 50 years with the most prominent occasion in early 1988 when a discovery on mechanoreceptors was further elaborated. The mechanoreceptors generally convert the motion into electrical nerve pulses in the inner ear. The branding of the hearing occurred consequently in 1990 and 2002 when the sound propagation was further elaborated in alignment to the vibration. This was branded as the mechanical sense. Hearing was also branded with the deafness as the inability to hear (Rius, Puig, Parramà ³n, 1985, 38). Taste Taste is among the most traditionally branded among the five senses which refers to capacity of flavor detection of substances such as poisons, food, etc. Taste has been branded on several occasions since 1950 whereby everyone posses his or her own taste of anything. The major focus was on 2007 when the neuromarketing branded taste as everyone’s flavor. It is a sense that allows the cognitive ability to differentiate one product from the other among the wide range of similar or different commodities (Dwyer, Robert Tanner, 2003, 57). Smell Smell is another member of the five senses, initially branded as an olfaction. In 1975, it was branded as a chemical sense whereby various organs of the body react whenever this sense occurs. In 2009, the study of this sense was extended to hundreds of olfactory receptors each requisition to a meticulous molecular feature (Clegg, 2011, 23). Touch Touch is an important part of organism as it creates is a perception in the body from activation of neural receptors. Branding of the touch has been defined by various scientists and medical experts in exerting more meaning to the sense of touch. The touch sense was once branded as tactician in 1989 by one spectacular application of Robert Knight neurotesting. Over the last 50 years, the branding of touch was most prominent in 2009 when it was branded as mechanoreceptor. Itching was branded to the touch sense in 1991 which was caused by the allergies and insect bites (Michael, Earl Dwight Pitt 2010, 14). Effects of Sense branding on Brand Management The branding of the five senses has greatly affected the brand management whereby consideration has to take place in every branding concept of any product or service. Basically people sense some of the stimuli confronted in the day to day lives which suggests that thinking of like sorting machine. Essentially people tends to attend to a variety of stimulations sorting through out for their relevancy and deciding their actions. This creates a lot of brand experiences possibly traversed in a fundamentally unconscious and inattentive way. In the brand management theory, there is an accumulation of brand experiences in human brains whereby constantly shifting of the shape is experienced in relation to each brand. The marketers in brand management initiates the intervention into this landscape in efforts of controlling and managing the brand shape that is taking place in the minds of the people. A wide range of ethical dilemmas of branding the senses has occurred on the implementation of regulations protecting consumers. The conscious and unconsciousness in the branding has taken effect in various occasions whereby the senses fully of particularly satisfies the consumers expectation on particular branding of the sense. The ethical dilemmas questions occur due to the renewed interests of the marketers in a sense branding idea that a high percentage human brain is unconsciously buried. The brand management theory underpins the natural interests in the branding methods whereby the quantities and the qualitative factors derivatives are highly invoked. This creates a question about the ethical nature of the true motivations that triggers the purchase of the brands. The truth of the matter is the sense branding is just impressionistic and unreliable to the brand itself. Branding the sense occurs in different levels and differs from one country to another across the globe. There diversification in cultures creates the difference in branding the senses between countries while the different cultural practices differs from one culture to another. The level of branding the sense is highly dependent on the perception of that particular brand in certain country or culture. Some cultures values some senses more than others creating more emphasis upon them. In some countries, the values and practices are aligned to some of the five senses therefore the branding is reflected on how much the sense valued is. Essentially social and religious beliefs also determine the branding of the sense which differs from country to country and culture to cultures. Branding the sense of sight in the African culture is highly valued as it is among the most important aspect of the human being. The branding value is aligned to the level of the overall capability whereby many pe rceives particular senses as more fundamental than others. The drinks producers have built a wide variety of sensory cues into communicating the brand to the consumers

Saturday, October 19, 2019

All About Personal and Professional Health Care Essay Example for Free

All About Personal and Professional Health Care Essay Health care communication is an important practice in the treatment of a patient. Ensuring effective communication can help the patient understand their state of health. The Meaning and Nature of Healthcare Communication Healthcare communication involves an efficient line of communication between medical professionals, clients, and patient. A vital component of healthcare communication is the ability to share information that can enhance a patient’s knowledge. This is important in assuring quality healthcare (Williams, 2007). Personal healthcare communication is vital in promoting a physician’s understanding through discussion and support groups. Healthcare communication considers factors such as the attitude of the patient, their behavior and belief which could have an impact on how the physician can improve the quality of health care (Williams, 2007). In addition, it requires empathy and understanding from the physician when communicating with their patients. An effective way of achieving effective communication is to get feedbacks from the person getting the information. The healthcare practitioner should carefully evaluate if the client can understand the message being relayed (Williams, 2007). One of the most effective ways of achieving an effective healthcare communication is by conducting a personal interview. This method will help determining the accuracy of information regarding their condition. The psychosocial aspects of the patient’s conditions can be considered when conducting the interview (Williams, 2007). The Relevance of Healthcare Communication An effective professional health care communication can improve the health outcome of a patient. The health care professional can utilize various guidelines to achieve effective healthcare communication. It can help the healthcare practitioner to establish a better understanding of the condition and history of their patients (Williams, 2007). In addition, effective healthcare communication can increase the patient’s satisfaction and knowledge of treatment and its possible outcomes. Without effective healthcare communication, the patient will not have a clear understanding of the state of their health. As a result, they are more likely to spend more on healthcare, take the wrong medication, and become depressed (Williams, 2007). The Principles of Therapeutic Communication The Talking Cure In the early history of health care, therapists or in this case health care professionals rarely say a word. Usually, the best way they understand the condition of their patient is through listening but they never communicate. However, it is likely to practice a non-threatening way of communicating with patients and will not hurt their self-esteem (Wachtel, 2008). In this process, the healthcare professional conceals their real message in a meta-message, which can both be demonstrated in a manner that would make it likely to address the conflicting issue which the patient has avoided (Wachtel, 2008). The manner of delivery by the therapist can have a huge effect on the patient compared to the real message. Most of the time, what the therapist says lowers the self-esteem or confidence of the patient (Wachtel, 2008). In this practice, the therapist must be consistent in monitoring their part in the therapeutic session (Wachtel, 2008). Cyclical Psychodynamics The theory of cyclical psychodynamics utilizes a series of repetitive cycles of communication between people. It combines views from interpersonal dynamics and behavioral and family systems (Wachtel, 2008). The cyclical psychodynamics theory states that people live in a contextual life and their behavior is always related to an individual or object. In therapeutic communication, it is important for the health care professional to understand the roots of the patient’s difficulties (Wachtel, 2008). Cyclical psychodynamics focuses on understanding the cause of the patient’s anxiety. The difficulty of a patient can be rooted from their early knowledge of being afraid of their feelings, thoughts, and inclinations. The aim of therapy in this sense is to help the patient refocus these feelings and integrate them into a complete life (Wachtel, 2008). One aim of therapeutic communication is to direct the patient to a variation of the truth that would help them see new possibilities in their life and to modify life patterns that have been responsible for their difficulties. By using meta-messages, the therapist will help the patient affirm, acknowledge, and understand their feelings (Wachtel, 2008). Other therapeutic techniques provide a different climate, focusing on inhibition, silence and non-engagement from the therapist. With cyclical psychodynamics, however, the health care professional is more involved in the therapeutic process (Wachtel, 2008). Conclusion Healthcare communication involves an efficient line of communication between medical professionals, clients, and patient. A vital component of healthcare communication is the ability to share information that can enhance a patient’s knowledge. This is important in assuring quality healthcare. An effective professional health care communication can improve the health outcome of a patient. The health care professional can utilize various guidelines to achieve effective healthcare communication. It can help the healthcare practitioner to establish a better understanding of the condition and history of their patients. Effective healthcare communication can increase the patient’s satisfaction and knowledge of treatment and its possible outcomes. Without effective healthcare communication, the patient will not have a clear understanding of the state of their health. As a result, they are more likely to spend more on healthcare, take the wrong medication, and become depressed. In the early history of health care, therapists or in this case health care professionals rarely say a word. Usually, the best way they understand the condition of their patient is through listening but they never communicate. However, it is likely to practice a non-threatening way of communicating with patients and will not hurt their self-esteem. In this process, the healthcare professional conceals their real message in a meta-message, which can both be demonstrated in a manner that would make it likely to address the conflicting issue which the patient has avoided Cyclical psychodynamics focuses on understanding the cause of the patient’s anxiety. The difficulty of a patient can be rooted from their early knowledge of being afraid of their feelings, thoughts, and inclinations. The aim of therapy in this sense is to help the patient refocus these feelings and integrate them into a complete life. With cyclical psychodynamics, the patient is directed to a variation of the truth that would help them see new possibilities in their life and to modify life patterns that have been responsible for their difficulties. By using meta-messages, the therapist will help the patient affirm, acknowledge, and understand their feelings. Compared with other therapeutic techniques, which focuses on inhibition, silence and non-engagement from the therapist, cyclical psychodynamics involves more involvement and participation by the health care professional in the therapeutic process All About Personal and Professional Health Care. (2016, Dec 04).

Friday, October 18, 2019

Uk Participation in the European Single Currency Assignment

Uk Participation in the European Single Currency - Assignment Example It eases the mechanism of moving products, services, workforce and capital within the Europe. The basic aim of EU is to encourage and increase economic, social, political, trade, defense and security cooperation between the member countries. The member countries of European Union consists of 27 independent states and these are, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. European Union comprises of 18 % of the world's total trade (Europa 2009). The first steps towards the EMU were only made in 1992, when the members of the EC met in Maastricht. A timetable for the development of the EMU was created there. In the years after the treaty the preparation began. Euro is an authorized currency of the 16 member countries of European Union. These states called Euro Zone includes, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain. UK refused to join the Exchange Rate mechanism because of the instability of the system. Euro was introduced to the world as a transactional currency of European countries on 1 January 1999 substituting the European Currency Unit (ECU). The currency was circulated all over European Union on 1st January 2002 (Bized 2009). Euro is used by 329 million of Europeans. According to the research conducted by IMF European Union is the second largest economy of the world. Euro is formally organized and managed by E uropean Central Bank and the Central Banks of the EU countries. Euro is today world's most important currencies after the Dollar. Not all the EU members accepted Euro as a single currency for European Union. One of them is United Kingdom, but 90% of the international trade and transactions in UK takes place through Euro. Pound Sterling is used for local transactional purposes (Hilliard, B. 2008). Economic advantages of European Single Currency Elimination of the transaction Costs A single currency all over the European Union do not require to exchange the money from one currency to another in different regions so the cost of changing money will be eliminated. Elimination of Exchange rate risks A single currency removes the risk of exchange rate. Price Transparency & Equality The law of one price minimizes the differences in price level. The different currencies cause difference in prices in the region due to the rate of the currencies. It causes inflation or may be deflation in the same geographical region. Low level of Inflation The transparency in price will lower the level of inflation as the same currency exchange rate does not require converting the price from one exchange rate to another. Tourism Benefits Tourists can travel all over Europe without any restriction and problem of exchanging money or visa etc. Macroeconomic stability In the European Monetary Union the most important element is the constant growth rate and new jobs. There is balance in the trade among the member countries. It promotes price equality. Facilitates International Trade The Euro makes EU a strong

Argumentation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Argumentation - Research Paper Example casualties while maximizing destruction and death abroad. That Obama was elected through the use of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, and Jesus Christ in his moral rhetoric makes the use of violent force in government policy problematic. For example, if we are to ask whether these teachers accept the use of deadly force and violence as a means to solve political problems or social issues, the answer would be an unequivocal no – not in any instance. It can be further argued that by invoking MLK, Gandhi, his Christian faith, and his unique family history, the President communicated a point of view to the electorate that was expressive of his moral sense of identity. If Obama as President continues to pursue what the Washington Times describes as â€Å"neoconservative policies† through military action abroad, he is indeed going against the moral tone that he communicated to his base in seeking election and should be held accountable in the upcoming 2012 election for it. The Washington Times (2011) writes in the editorial: â€Å"Mr. ... For now anyway. Mr. Obama’s motive - trying to dislodge an authoritarian regime in the name of the Libyan people - are solidly within the neoconservative framework.† (Washington Times, 2011) The article is limited in space but could have clearly noted that Obama has pursued the â€Å"Just War† doctrine through his policy of escalation in Afghanistan and Pakistan while drawing down in Iraq, and Libya is the latest example of that policy. President Obama’s 2009 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech can be seen as one of the main locations where he develops the â€Å"Just War† doctrine and with it his reasons why he cannot or will not implement a purely pacifist foreign policy as advocated by Gandhi and MLK particularly. (NYT, 2009) What the Washington Times suggests is that at heart Obama is no different that Nixon or Eisenhower, who like the majority of Americans would â€Å"believe in† Christianity and not see it as inconsistent with war. Yet, t he Washington Times is not writing the editorial to advocate the position of MLK and Gandhi in politics, they are writing to exult with glee as Obama again sells these principles out and the â€Å"moral Left† writhes in agony. The implication of this tone is happier still in that the writers expect that Obama will likely lose the election, having sold out his moral base continually throughout his administration. Following the Washington Times arguments, it is easy to view the Obama administration’s economic policies as no real change from the neo-conservative Bush administration. President Obama continued the Wall St.â€Å"bailout† policies enacted by the Bush administration as well as expanding them. President Obama’s majority-led Congress extended the Bush tax cuts in another example of neo-conservative policy.

Health & Nutritio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health & Nutritio - Essay Example It is often referred to as healthy living. This paper will review some of the reasons why health and nutrition are important factors in today’s modern life and how they can be attained. The reason why this is important is to enable people to fully understand that in becoming healthy, nutritious food is the only way to maintain a good body. Diseases are kept at bay especially in an environment that is healthy. Fruits and foods high in fibre ensure that the body gets its daily nutrients, and is cleansed. This information is very important since everyone can be able to access it and benefit greatly from it. In these modern times, it is very easy for people to lose track of the kind of foods they consume (Bakalar, p. 12). This can help them understand that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is for their own good. The scientific basis on which this research was carried on is the fact that nature has the perfect blend to help in the maintenance of health and body balance. Its unique formulation has everything to keep a healthy body and mind. The improvements that have been made on some of nature’s resources are not absolutely one hundred per cent. Chemicals are introduced into them. They cannot be fully trusted (Cloud, p. 15). However, they still serve the same purpose, and it is through science and technology that this has been able to work. Some social issues have been brought up in some of the articles talking about health and nutrition. They include the taking of pills to do what was meant to be done naturally (Gordinier, p. 5). Many think that it is not right for people to have pills for everything that goes on in their lives. That is the intrigue of modern science. Everything has been reduced to the size of a pill. This does not go down well with environmentalists trying to keep indigenous trees and plants from being destroyed. Also, the amount of time taken to live a healthy life could be increased. The rate at which drugs that help in healthy living

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Nursing as a Profession Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nursing as a Profession - Research Paper Example The question of whether nursing constitutes a profession or merely an occupation has been debated frequently but never conclusively answered, owing to the subjective interpretation of word connotations as well as a lack of consensus as to what profession entails. The Random House dictionary defines a profession as â€Å"a vocation requiring knowledge of some department of learning or science.† L. Harvey (2004) says that â€Å"A profession is a group of people in a learned occupation, the members of which agree to abide by specified rules of conduct when practicing the profession.† Over the years, several researchers have developed specific criteria regarding professions. This paper will focus on the eight criteria established by Dr. Lucie Kelly in 1981, and examine nursing in relation to those criteria. Kelly's Criteria for Professions 1) The services provided are vital to humanity and the welfare of society. 2) There is a special body of knowledge that is continually enlarged through research. 3) The services involve intellectual activities; individual responsibility (accountability) is a strong feature. 4) Practitioners are educated in institutions of higher learning. 5) Practitioners are relatively independent and control their own policies and activities (autonomy). 6) Practitioners are motivated by service (altruism) and consider their work an important component of their lives. 7) There is a code of ethics to guide the decisions and conduct of practitioners 8) There is an organization (association) that encourage and supports high standards of practice. (Chitty citing Kelly, 2005, p. 171) The first four of Kelly's eight criteria are easily addressed, as there can be no doubt of the vital nature of the services provided by nurses, who are frequently referred to in literature as â€Å"the backbone of the healthcare system.† It also cannot be disputed that there exists a large and continually expanding body of knowledge related to nursing. There is a great deal of personal accountability involved in nursing as well. Each day nurses world-wide make decisions within a professional context which have a significant impact on the lives of their patients, as well as colleagues and even administrators. Nurses are required to undergo profession-specific education, as well as to maintain awareness of current research in the field in order to perform their jobs effectively. Likewise, nursing can easily be demonstrated to meet the seventh and eighth of Kelly's criteria. The Code of Ethics for Nurses is well established, and there are several national organizations devoted to maintaining high standards for nurse accreditation, as well as an International Council of Nurses. Autonomy of nurses might be questioned: Do nurses control their own policies and activities? While it is clear that a nurse must make decisions on a daily basis and act on those decisions, nurses are subjected to policies within the confines of their employing institutions. Though nurses frequently execute the orders of doctors, the manner of execution is usually left to individual nurses. Thus, in the opinion of this researcher nursing meets the fifth of Kelly's criteria. The question of motivation is a thornier one. While many individuals choose to enter nursing for altruistic reasons, it seems unreasonable to expect that all nurses share that particular motivation. Ther e is a shortage of nurses world-wide, no doubt leading to many individuals choose this career path because it will provide a secure and reliable source of income. Nurses trained in an accredited program can always find

Retiring Abroad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Retiring Abroad - Essay Example this new trend of retiring abroad, especially in the aftermath of the global financial meltdown that decimated home values and ravaged many accounts. Many people continue living where they live because of their work. When they retire, they make the ultimate decision of moving to a place where they will feel more comfortable and where their money will last (Knowledge). According to Social Security Administration’s annual statistical supplement, the exact number of Americans retirees receiving social security benefits outside the United States is 350,000. The majority of these individuals are finding their way to countries like Ecuador, Mexico, Canada and the UK (Edwards & Daniels 101). This number is expected to increase with 4 million baby boomers already making plans to retire abroad (Edwards & Daniels 100). The main driving force behind this new trend shown by retirees is financial security. According to the confidence survey of 2014, only 14 percent of the workers indicated that they were confident of having enough funds to live comfortably in the United States. This low level of confidence comes as a result of the global economic crisis that crushed the gains that had been made on the middle income household net worth. During this period, home price index went down by 23 percent (Knowledge). Retirement accounts that act as supplements to social security and other forms of retirement income were also not spared (Knowledge) The cost of living in such countries is much lower compared to the United States. For example, the rent in San Jose, a city in Costa Rica is 57 percent lower than in the city if Philadelphia (Knowledge para.8). Additionally, the prices for consumer goods are lower by 59 percent when the same city is compared to American cities. These benefits notwithstanding, the retirees need to know that that there are hidden charges that they need to consider before deciding to reside abroad. For instance, the imported goods in emerging markets are

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Health & Nutritio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health & Nutritio - Essay Example It is often referred to as healthy living. This paper will review some of the reasons why health and nutrition are important factors in today’s modern life and how they can be attained. The reason why this is important is to enable people to fully understand that in becoming healthy, nutritious food is the only way to maintain a good body. Diseases are kept at bay especially in an environment that is healthy. Fruits and foods high in fibre ensure that the body gets its daily nutrients, and is cleansed. This information is very important since everyone can be able to access it and benefit greatly from it. In these modern times, it is very easy for people to lose track of the kind of foods they consume (Bakalar, p. 12). This can help them understand that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is for their own good. The scientific basis on which this research was carried on is the fact that nature has the perfect blend to help in the maintenance of health and body balance. Its unique formulation has everything to keep a healthy body and mind. The improvements that have been made on some of nature’s resources are not absolutely one hundred per cent. Chemicals are introduced into them. They cannot be fully trusted (Cloud, p. 15). However, they still serve the same purpose, and it is through science and technology that this has been able to work. Some social issues have been brought up in some of the articles talking about health and nutrition. They include the taking of pills to do what was meant to be done naturally (Gordinier, p. 5). Many think that it is not right for people to have pills for everything that goes on in their lives. That is the intrigue of modern science. Everything has been reduced to the size of a pill. This does not go down well with environmentalists trying to keep indigenous trees and plants from being destroyed. Also, the amount of time taken to live a healthy life could be increased. The rate at which drugs that help in healthy living

Retiring Abroad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Retiring Abroad - Essay Example this new trend of retiring abroad, especially in the aftermath of the global financial meltdown that decimated home values and ravaged many accounts. Many people continue living where they live because of their work. When they retire, they make the ultimate decision of moving to a place where they will feel more comfortable and where their money will last (Knowledge). According to Social Security Administration’s annual statistical supplement, the exact number of Americans retirees receiving social security benefits outside the United States is 350,000. The majority of these individuals are finding their way to countries like Ecuador, Mexico, Canada and the UK (Edwards & Daniels 101). This number is expected to increase with 4 million baby boomers already making plans to retire abroad (Edwards & Daniels 100). The main driving force behind this new trend shown by retirees is financial security. According to the confidence survey of 2014, only 14 percent of the workers indicated that they were confident of having enough funds to live comfortably in the United States. This low level of confidence comes as a result of the global economic crisis that crushed the gains that had been made on the middle income household net worth. During this period, home price index went down by 23 percent (Knowledge). Retirement accounts that act as supplements to social security and other forms of retirement income were also not spared (Knowledge) The cost of living in such countries is much lower compared to the United States. For example, the rent in San Jose, a city in Costa Rica is 57 percent lower than in the city if Philadelphia (Knowledge para.8). Additionally, the prices for consumer goods are lower by 59 percent when the same city is compared to American cities. These benefits notwithstanding, the retirees need to know that that there are hidden charges that they need to consider before deciding to reside abroad. For instance, the imported goods in emerging markets are

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Brainstorm of the places where we use computers Essay Example for Free

Brainstorm of the places where we use computers Essay The main uses of ICT in Coopers is to educate pupils that attend also to help teachers keep track of their daily teachings. The uses of ICT like interactive boards and projectors have played an important part in the way education is being taught in ST Edwards. These functions allows teachers to browse the Internet in front of the class and go on educational websites. Also to use the interactive board with a interactive pen to draw straight lines easier than a whiteboard. Systems like SIMS are very useful for teachers every day routine as it allows them to do features like see students timetables, personal details like address and home telephone number also their face identity. This is useful because this can be arranged so that a whole classes pictures are printed of in alphabetical order in order for a teacher to know there class pupils quicker by face by arranging the class in alphabetical order. The public school Coopers is allocated in Romford, Essex was formed over 300 years ago. It contains around 1200 pupils with six formers and over 100 teachers, which the school had to accommodate by building a new building alongside the old one. The head teacher of Coopers is Mr Drew. The school is very multicultural as it accepts students from the local borough as well as outside the borough, which makes the school very unique in its area of Havering. Also recently Coopers was one of the 19 schools in the whole of London to been given the top grade from OFSTED inspectors. The school dress code of Cooperss pupils is to blue blazers with a badge showing a cross and doves also charcoal grey trousers. The tie has diagonal stripes of yellow, navy and light blue. Microsoft office plays a very important role in the education system at Coopers through programs like Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Some of the uses that these programs enable are: Spreadsheet Microsoft Excel: Use are being able to mail merge, spread sheet formulas Word Processing Microsoft Word: This programs enables you to Do Fax template documents, Invoices and basics such as Letters Presentation Software Microsoft PowerPoint: PowerPoint presentations allow students to present class to their class on an interactive board. Database Microsoft Access: Mainly used throughout Coopers school for tracking students behaviour and for teaching throughout the schooling industry. Also by teachers into allowing them to organise their timetables and see where they have free periods or when a class needs a supply teacher as a teacher is away from school. Desktop Publishing (DTP) MS Publisher, Photoshop, and Corel Draw: Generally used in school to edit and draw pictures. List of Hardware: (computer Specification) How ICT is used in subjects that are taught and used in school. CDT: This subject has specialised software on the ICT program like 2D Design, which enables students to draw different shapes and letters then have specially designed into a 2D key chain using a high tech machine. MFL: the subject MFL has software installed on the schools computer system, which allows teachers to access it through the interactive boards and teach students on their speech thought the boards speakers. Also through the interactive pen, the teachers can ask students to come to the front and moves individual words to the right sentences. Security software: an administrator through logging on a computer can access The CCTV cameras. This allows the admin to control the movement of the cameras. Most classrooms in Coopers are locked with a specialized security system with only opens by inserting a card with a special chip build into it. The door will only open if it recognises the chip. Systems on different doors can be programmed to accept the chip. This will allow the user to open a number of doors throughout the school. The school technicians would install anti virus softwares like Northern Art: The use of digital cameras and software allows users to edit photos and images. Also it can be used to evaluate pieces of work and how to make improvements. The benefits of using ICT in Art are that students can do animations and add special effects to pictures, which cannot be done by hand. Library: The heritage used to the check if the book you want hasnt been taken out. Also the library uses ICT to controls what is borrowed and taken out in the library also students who have books that are overdue. I also found my school is using networking in 10 computer rooms; each room has a local network. All local networks are connected together with router and Gateway. After accessing to the network manager I found that the school network is using the star network. Preferably Maths: ICT is used in maths to do accurate pie chart and bar chart diagrams. Also spreadsheets and calculations in programs like MS excel. Finance Dept: This department uses ICT to deal with problems such as calculating staff salary and tax using spreadsheets and SAGE line 50 or Payroll software. Why the organisation uses ICT? Coopers Comprehensive uses ICT as it is very effective in helping to manage and organise the work of the school. Examples; The organisation uses word processing software such as Microsoft Word to design templates which they will use every time they want to send a letter to pupils homes. This is effective as this system will enable the organisation to save time not writing by hand the information that would be stored as a template. E.g. school address and logo Locations where ICT is used 1. Reception a. Photocopier b. Computer c. Lights d. Fax 2. Classrooms a. Lights system b. Computer c. Fan d. Projector e. 3. Staff room a. Computers b. Lighting system 4. Science Lab a. Computers b. Interactive board 5. Interactive board a. Sound system b. Internet browser c. Interactive board d. Video e. Projector 6. Library a. Heritage i. Resource library ii. Computer iii. Database 7. Six form sweet 8. D.T a. Computers 9. Technicians office a. Laptops b. Computers 10. Art room a. Computers 11. Music room a. Keyboards b. Interactive board c. Lights d. Sound system 12. Food room a. Digital camera (for taking pictures of food) b. Computer c. Pocket computer (keeps track of his daily routines) Roles 1. Teaching a. Worksheets b. Timetables c. Teachers planners d. Room changes e. On call system 2. French a. Interactive whiteboards 3. History a. Computer b. Interactive 4. Security a. CCTV (24 hours in motion a day.) b. School alarm c. Fire alarm 5. Internet a. School website b. Revision sites for learning 6. Mr Chapmens Office a. Letters home b. Reachout 7. Mr Drews office a. Photocopier 8. Homework 9. Maths a. Calculators b. Projectors c. Interactive board 10. SEN Dept 11. S.T.E.D.S a. Calculators 12. Mr Browns Office a. Timetables 13. SIMS (schools information management system) a. NOVA b. Timetables for students and teachers c. Cover d. Administration e. Pupil profiles f. Students behaviour Now I am going to highlight more details how the organisation is using ICT to meet the specific needs. Making lessons interactive: the school uses a smart interactive white board and computer system in every classroom to make lessons interactive. When the teacher is teaching he can write down everything on the whiteboard and using the special software SMART, writing can be saved and played back whenever necessary. Teachers can use many tools to make lessons interactive for example, drawing tools, setting the background colour, selecting font, importing diagrams, showing animation and effects and so on. To make the interactive board work the following hardware and software I identified Projector Computer with necessary software e.g. operating system Windows XP and applications software e.g. MS Word and hardware e.g. keyboard, mouse and Driver program comes with interactive whiteboard USB memory to transfer and save lessons. Digital pen or stylus using this device teachers can use software interactively without coming to the computer Cable connection between whiteboard and computer The objective of the organisation is to educate students interactively within a short time. Using such interactive system the teacher can teach many things to each student e.g. printing handouts of what he taught at the end of the lesson, without writing he can show it again and again if the student doesnt understand. Students dont need to take all notes and can take soft copy of the lessons. When a student is absent he or she can take the soft copy to catch up. registering and maintaining student database creating school brochure templates designing writing letter to parents mail merge save time dont make mistakes Issuing and receiving books in the school library Searching for books in the library: the school uses ICT in libraries so that books can be found easily and can also to record pupils taking books out and returning them easily without making mistakes and losing books. The benefits are: Saves time just scanning books instead of writing it down manually every time a pupil wants to take a book out. Pupils can easily search for books on a database instead of finding it on shelves Overdue books can be worked out by the computer whereas you may forget when the pupil was due to bring back the book.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur Airport Hotel Business Strategy

Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur Airport Hotel Business Strategy 5.0 Key Factors for Success Key factors for success (KFS) are the critical factors or activities required for ensuring the success of a business. They need to be identified so that an organization can ensure that they can delivers value that meets and exceeds the expectations of its targeted customers better than competitors (Bowie and Buttle, 2007). Two key factors for success have been identified for PPKLIA hotel. The hotel physicals condition and hotel website. PPKLIA established 11 years ago, the exterior of the hotel building now seems aged and the exterior image of the hotel is in old condition with an unattractive design. At first sight, it does not bring an impression of the hotel being a 5-star luxury hotel. This can be considered as one of their weaknesses since there is often an intuitive feeling that effective design can attract customers from the desired target market segment and enable the hotel to price accordingly while operating the unit in an efficient way with the result of this greater market awareness and customer volume is increased profits (Ransley and Ingram, 2001). Hence, PPKLIA should have a refurbishment plan to upgrade the hotels design in order to achieve what had stated by Ransley and Ingram. The hotel web site is another factor which is considered critical to the hotel. To hospitality practitioners, the internet offers a means for them to sell their products to global customers without any geographical or time constraints (Huizingh, 2000). The driving force for hospitality suppliers to establish their web sites includes lower distribution costs and thus higher profits, and a larger potential market. Similarly, consumers can search for their needed information and directly communicate with suppliers at any time and in any place (Waller, 2003). Thus, the web site is an important medium for the hotel to communicate with their markets. 6.0 Mission Statement Organizations develop corporate mission statement in order to share them with their managers, employees and in many cases, customers and other publics (Kotler et al., 2006). According to Pearce and Robinson (1991), mission statement can be defined as broad statement of characteristics (product and market), goals (profit and growth) and philosophies of a business or simply its purpose and philosophies (Byars, 1984). Mission statement below is based on current situation and potential development of PPKLIA. Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur International Airport Hotel will be regarded as the paramount leader of airport hotel in Asia exemplifying service of unmatched sincerity and professionalism. Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur International Airport Hotel will be the best choice in serving the honorable business and leisure travelers according their different needs and wants. At here, we will treat all of our guests as our priority through the delivering of caring and efficient hospitality to create a truly unique signature service where every signature service comprises of our commitment and responsibility on the service provided. Our dedicated employees will go through a series of developing and training in an effort to mould them to become an extraordinary individual in providing a unique sense of professionalism to the guests. We will ensure that every employee is treated fairly with dignity where constantly support and caring from leaders to continuously improve productivity and customer satisfaction. As our hotel surrounded by an oasis of greenery in fusion with luxury, we committed to environmental protection and stewardship by mitigate the impacts on the environment with all the stakeholders to promote and implement responsible environmental practices and continuous improvements. We will ensure our products and services will remain in the high quality to provide satisfaction to the current and future potential customers and at the same time to breakthrough the limitation in creating competitive advantage vis-Ã  -vis competitors by actively expanding our presence globally, with potential developments in a number of domestic and international markets. 7.0 Strategy Formulation The task of analyzing the organizations external and internal environments and then selecting appropriate strategies constitutes strategy formulation. It is a process of taking actions consistent with the selected strategies of the organization (Hill and Jones, 2006). 7.1 Prioritize Existing and New Target Market PPKLIAs current target market composed of business travelers, airline crews, tourists and transit passenger, while 80 per cent of the hotel guests are foreigners with the largest group coming from the United Kingdom and Australia. According to Bowie and Buttle (2007), business travelers tend to be less price-sensitive, since employer generally meets hospitality and travel expenses. This has made them have more budgets to spend in the hotel. Also, they are less concern on seasonal aspects because business travelers contain business trips that are unavoidable due to their job nature. Moreover, with the recent economic downturn, many companies revised their travel spending, with companies arranging meeting near the airport in order for delegates to fly in and out on the same day (Boston Business School, 2009). This causes business travelers as frequent, or regular, users of airport hotel accommodation. Therefore, a 50 percent of target market allocation for business travelers should firstly being prioritized. Besides, a 35 percent of target market will be allocate for transit air travelers as the second group to be prioritized since PPKLIA is the preferred choice for transit air travelers with a few long hour in-between flights. Due to the nature of location of the hotel, it provides convenience to this target market to check-out the hotel and able to catch their flight by just going through a 5-minute walking distance of sky bridge that connecting the hotel and airport. Moreover, these transit passengers are mostly come from the Europe countries where they have high spending power. Thus, it should not be overlooked. Airline crew is the third priority target market group with a 15 percent of target market allocation for it since PPKLIA is an airport hotel, the high volume of intercontinental, regional and international flights, coupled with the need for airline crew to have proper rest periods between flights, has created a demand for group accommodation for hotels within approximately 15 45 minutes travel time of major airports (Bowie and Buttle, 2007). While the distance between KLIA and PPKLIA is only a 5-minute walk make it as the preferred choice of hotel for airline crew to stay in. A prediction from World Tourism Organization (WTO) on China, it expected to send 100 million visitors to other countries (Zhang et al., 2000). Thus, a 60 percent of market allocation should falls under it as first future potential target market to be prioritized. On the other hand, with the popularize by the Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ng Yen Yen, the Japan market would permeate into Malaysia gradually by selling product-service that suit the different target market such as sophisticated office ladies and men, students and pensioners. Therefore, this market would have a 40 percent of market allocation being ranked as the second market to be prioritized. Hence, PPKLIA should grab this opportunity to adjust its products and services to prioritize these markets by cater the needs and wants for the Chinese and Japanese in an effort to enlarge its target market for the business. 7.2 Positioning Statement The concept of positioning statement in a marketing strategy calls for the creation of an image the consumers perception of the subjective attributes of the property vis-Ã  -vis those of the competition. This perception may be radically different from the propertys physical characteristics and the distinction between the perception and the reality is especially important for hotel marketers (Lewis, 1981). Based on the previous internal and external analysis, a repositioning should be carried out in order to revise the marketing strategy for PPKLIA as to increase sales. As a result, a new positioning map (Please refer to Appendix I) has been developed that emphasized on offering the same quality product-service to the guests but with lower price. From the previous positioning map, PPKLIA being plotted at the highest position for the two variables since it has the most expensive room rate compared to its competitors and is the nearest to the subject location, KLIA. As in the new positioning map, PPKLIA is being proposed to lower its ranking from five to four for the price variable. In other words, PPKLIA is encouraged to lower its room rate to the range of RM 375.00 RM 450.00 in order not to have a big difference with its primary competitors while at the same time maintain its quality. Below is an overall positioning statement follow along with statements for various targeted segment of PPKLIA. Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur International Airport Hotel is a five-star airport hotel recognized by prestige awards and accolades based on the high quality product-service offered. At here, we have world-class luxury rooms and suites which are designed to exceptional standards with an intrinsic eye to detail with sumptuous food and beverage outlets serving an extensive variety of exotic cuisine. Meanwhile, a complete facilities and services are offered as well. We also provide a broad array of meeting and banquet services for business travelers and corporate group. Our hotel is surrounded by an oasis of greenery in fusion with luxury themed hotel to boast a relaxation during guests accommodation. All employees are treated as the hotels associates where associate implies partnership and working together and thus they would bring out the best in serving the external customers our guests. Business Travelers: As one of the finest and most conveniently located hotels in Kuala Lumpur, Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur International Airport Hotel is the preferred hotel for business travelers and corporate groups to conduct meetings and functions in our conference venues that offer enormous flexibility from a magnificent ballroom to our state-of-the-art auditoriums. Also, we provide a home away from home and an office away from the office with a complete set of secretarial services at the Business Centre to serve the needs of productive business travelers. Airline Crew: In Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur International Airport Hotel, the hotels lush tropical landscape, water features and soothing environment make for a rejuvenating break in combating jet lagged and weary airline crew that becoming a limiting factor in aircraft operations. Transit Passengers: We are a full-service airport hotel conveniently located adjacent to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport with immediate access to the hotel via a sky bridge. It is the preferred hotel choice for transit air travelers with a few long hours in-between flights. Air travelers with early morning departures or late night arrivals will find the hotel perfectly suited to their unique needs. 7.3 Gap Analysis Ansoff Matrix Gap analysis is the art and science of computing the size of the gap between the sales objectives, and where a forecast based on the SWOT analysis of sales in the future on the identified threats and opportunities that impact on the business (Bowie and Buttle, 2007). It is an analytical tool to be used in conjunction with the Ansoff matrix which is the four alternative strategies to help determine how far each type of action will bridge the gap between initial forecasts for growth and the corporate objective for growth. PPKLIA can be considered as a business with growth-oriented that are more likely to set ambitious stretch targets that want to see the value of their investment increase. If achieved, there will be an improvement on the market value or capitalization of the business. As a result, a gap analysis and ansoff matrix (Please refer to appendix J and K) has been developed for PPKLIA to forecast the future sales that can be achieved in three years time. PPKLIA may starts improving its sales by adopting the lowest-risk growth strategy, market penetration. It is a strategy to improve sales by using the existing products in existing markets and this could increase the current customers rate of use or attracting competitors customers (Hsu and Powers, 2002). In order to do that, a plan in increasing the rooms sales of 5 percent has been suggested through the increase of frequency. Besides that, it is advisable to encourage spend from existing customers by creating more different loyalty program for different target market since PPKLIA only offers loyalty program to secretary and left out the others. Meanwhile, a frequent stay program will be offered after the creating of loyalty program where points will be awarded to guests based on their frequent of stay in the hotel. On the other hand, the hotel staffs especially from front office (front desk, operator, and concierge) should be trained on their up selling skills in order to sell the m ost profitable product to the guest to achieve maximum revenue for the hotel while ensuring total customer satisfactions. Besides, advertising and direct mail campaigns will be carried out to target at the ex-customers too. All these activities can help to boost a 5 percent of sales increase to rooms department and may bring the current hotel revenue of RM 61,709,000 to RM 78,843,093 in the future of three years time. The next strategy to be implemented is the market extension. It features the roll out of existing product-service offers in new markets (Bowie and Buttle, 2007). According to Hsu and Powers (2002), it has greater risk than market penetration because the hotel may lose its market development expenditures if the effort fails. The most common market development activity is to identify new geographic markets. From the previously conducted SWOT analysis, Chinese and Japanese target markets have been identified as the potential target markets for PPKLIA in the future and a succession of marketing communication will be carried out to capture this market. By targeting 3 percent of China and 2 percent of Japan market can help in increasing 5 percent of room sales and contribute an overall sale of RM 82,726,908. Another Ansoff strategy where it emphasized on developing new products in a hotel to increase customer satisfaction by improving the product offered. They are usually improvements and product modifications, rather than radical new product-service concepts (Bowie and Buttle, 2007). However, it is somewhat riskier than market penetration because of the costs involved (Hsu and Powers, 2002). According to Mr. Alex Chin, the director of sales of PPKLIA hotel year 2009, there is a rules of thumb where refurbishment will be carried out on the food and beverage outlets every five years and ten years for rooms because what hospitality operations offer is an experience and the physical setting is a representation of the experience offered (Hsu and Powers, 2002). The refurbishment can enhance the quality of products and hence create novelty to the existing markets. Besides, infusion of new technology into the hotel also consider as one of the tactics in enhancing the products and services offer ed. Technology features to be introduced such as the energy management on controlling rooms air-conditioner and lighting operation where the central computer determines occupancy status and adjusts energy consumption accordingly. Based on the previous internal analysis, the spa service provided in PPKLIA has the high potential to become one of the income generators to the hotel. However, it is not well managed and fully developed. Hence, enlarge its services and products by offering more variety of packages to choose from would attract more guests who emphasize on healthy living. The product development would help in increasing 3 percent of the rooms and spa sales that worth RM 3,205,787 and lead to a future total sales of RM 85,932,695 in the year 2011. When new products are introduced in new markets, diversification occurs. The diversification strategy focuses on creating new product-service offers for new target markets. This is the riskiest growth strategy, since the company has no existing customer or product knowledge to exploit (Bowie and Buttle, 2007). The tactic suggested to PPKLIA is to open a new themed restaurant to cater the Chinese and Japanese target market. The themed restaurant may offer Chinese and or Japanese cuisine since PPKLIA does not have these cuisines served on the current food and beverage outlets. If the plan succeeds, it would increase 7 percent of room sales and food beverage sales that contributes to an overall total sale of RM 90,252,325. According to the gap analysis graph, there is still gap between the diversification strategies and corporate sales objectives with an amount of RM 3,329,351. This is due to the corporate sales objectives being set in an ambitious manner and may need further revise. 7.4 Marketing Mix Objectives Marketing mix decisions is made from the marketing strategies and marketing tactics in order to achieve agreed marketing objectives. Marketing mixes for both the strategies and tactics to ensure that the organization wins sales from the targeted customers against the identified competitors (Bowie and Buttle, 2007). According to Bowie and Buttle (2007), objectives should be Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Realistic, and carried out within a set Timetable (SMART). SMART objectives provide an operational target that measure the performance of the business and act as a control mechanism in determining whether management is effective. Below are the SMART objectives set for PPKLIA to be achieved in the next three years. Annual / monthly sales Objectives: To increase sales from RM 61,709,000 in the current year (2008) to RM 93,581,676 in three years time. Customer Mix: To target Chinese and Japanese leisure market, and achieve 10% of the overall customer mix of the hotel in three years. Location: To purchase five busses in three years time to enhance the accessibility between the hotel and Kuala Lumpur city centre. Product Development To reduce 20 percent of the energy consumption from guestrooms annually. To increase 10 percent food and beverage sales in three years time by establishing new themed food and beverage outlet To increase 30 different variety spa product-service within three years Pricing To set the current room rate 25 percent lower to have similar price with its competitors within a year To offer 30 different variety of packages within three years To setup discriminatory pricing for transit air travelers can fences based on the two types of length of time staying in the hotel with two types of prices within a year. Distribution To increase bookings generated through mobile device by 10 percent in a year. To increase bookings generated through the website by 25 percent in the next 12 months Marketing Communication Objectives To increase five percent room sales through e-mail marketing within three years. To increase awareness amongst Chinese and Japanese market by allocates RM 1 million of advertising fees for three years time People To conduct stimulation training for new entrants once being employed and interpersonal customer service training for existing employee every six months. To form empowerment culture within three years time. 8.0 Marketing Mix Strategies All marketing decisions to accomplish the firms grand strategies and annual objectives can be expressed in terms of the marketing mix variables of location, product-service offer, price, distribution, marketing communications, and people. Marketing mix strategies are plans of action to show how the marketing mix variables will be used to achieve the marketing mix objectives and grand strategies (Reich, 1997). 8.1 Location Strategy According Powers (1990), there are three most important factors to consider when opening a hotel, location, location, and location. Without a good or excellent location the businesss chances of success are greatly reduced. PPKLIA sited on 2.25 hectares of land at Sepang which is a town and district located in the southern part of the state of Selangor in Malaysia. Formerly a sleepy town, Sepang has grown by leaps and bounds due to several recent developments such as the Sepang International Circuit and Sepang Goldcoast. However, it still lack of tourist spots that would offer sightseeing or entertainments. Transit passengers, who prefer not to rest in the room during the few long hours in-between flights, would suggest to pay a visit to Kuala Lumpur (KL). As the capital of Malaysia, it is the most modern and developed city in the country, with contemporary high-rises and world-class hotels, glitzy shopping malls, and international cuisine. It would definitely provide an ultimate guests satisfaction in the aspects of entertainments. Also, places such as Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre and so on are where most of the business travelers would have their meetings, conference, or tr ade show conducted. However, guests who want to access to KL from PPKLIA may feel inconvenience since the hotel located 58 kilometers away from KL and it needs 50 minutes of car driving time to reach there. Even though there is a rail service by Express Rail Link (ERL) which is a standard gauge and electrified airport rail link in Malaysia that connects the KLIA with the Kuala Lumpur Sentral (KL Sentral) transportation hub. Nevertheless, the service is costly for guests who need often access to KL from PPKLIA with a one way ticket that cost RM 35.00 for an adult and RM 15.00 for a child. In order to enhance the accessibility to KL, a strategy on setting up a free shuttle bus service for in-house guests will be proposed. Firstly, for the first year of this proposing, two busses will purchase and performance measurement will be implemented in order to know whether the outcome of this strategy brings an increase on sales to the hotel, then only to proceed to the original proposed plan to purchase three more busses. This is because the purchasing of a bus is costly, thus, if it does not bring a good outcome, a new strategy may need to develop. There are two routes to be offer in this service where the first route will have a linkage between the hotel and the Nilai commuter station. Although there are buses at the airports bus station are offering the same service, however, the buses will stop at every bus station to pick up passengers and it would spend about 45 minutes to reach Nilai commuter station whereas the free shuttle bus service will offer direct route for the in-house guests to the commuter station with just 15 minutes with the frequency of every 15 minutes. Another route will link from the hotel to the KL city centre with the frequency of every hour. The service will only operate from 9 a.m. till 9 p.m. for both routes. 8.2 New Product Development Strategy Kotler et al (2004) define new product as a good, service or idea that is perceived by some potential customers as new. Most new product developments in hospitality operations are evolutionary rather than revolutionary (Bowie and Buttle, 2007). 8.1.1 Guests Rooms Since PPKLIA is an airport hotel that linked with KLIA, we would propose that the concept of the hotel should match with the KLIA. According to Sharp (1999), KLIA represents a fusion between nature and high technology with the concept of symbiosis, which Kisho Kurokawa, the designer of KLIA has described as an airport in the forest which is the worlds first environmentally friendly airport. As a result, PPKLIA should blend a unique amalgamation of green (environmental concern) into the hotel since its greenery surrounding provides a vantage point to become a green hotel. PPKLIA utilizes this transformation as a repositioning tool to differentiate itself from its competitors in order to maintain its leading position in the market. One of the key features in creating green hotel is to reduce the energy consumption in the hotel. Based on a study by Page and Siminovitch (2000), an estimate roughly of 60 percent of lighting energy usage occurs during 9 am to 4 pm period when rooms are generally not occupied. Hence, by introducing of key cards systems which include an energy management features that control the lighting operation where the central computer determines occupancy status and adjusts energy consumption accordingly. It keeps the room constant at a minimal comfort level until a guest requests a more comfortable temperature. It will also switch off the lightning operation in the room automatically when guests are not present. According to Mr. Alex Chin, the director of sales of PPKLIA hotel year 2009, the installation of solar film coating at Degree 24-hour Restaurant and Travellers Bar and Grill help to reduce heat from the sun light that penetrate through the large clear windows and glasses. When heat reduced, the energy cost of air-conditioning would be reduced as well. Thus, this same concept would apply in the guest rooms as well to reduce heat and at the same time the furniture and fixtures in the rooms are also protected from ultra violet damage and should last longer and look much better. To assist in the spectacular metamorphosis of PPKLIA, the transformation program will be conducted in stages so as to minimize disturbance to guests and the properties will remain open throughout the transformation. The new key card system will be installing on the first year of the implementation of the objective for the third to sixth floor; while the remaining floors will proceed in the second year. At the same time of installing the new key card system, the solar coating firm will be installing as well. 8.1.2 Food and beverage outlets One critical attribute of successful hotel food and beverage outlets is their ability to appropriately respond to the changing needs of the market while maintaining a profitable operation (Siguaw and Enz, 2007). Thus, the key concerns on product development for PPKLIAs food and beverage outlets will focus on establishing a new themed restaurant. The purpose of having this new restaurant is to serve the needs of the future potential market from China and Japan. Although both of the targeted markets are from different culture and having distinct dietary habit, however, this strategy proposed on the concept similar to the Four Seasons Hotel in Canada that using only one food and beverage outlet with two dining rooms to provide the fusion of Chinese and Japanese cuisine. By having a single food and beverage outlet, the hotel can offer two dining rooms that differ in design, but it shares the same menu, chefs, line cooks, and kitchens. Compared to having multiple outlets, this approach allows the service staff members to provide greater attention to food quality and presentation, to focus on small details, and to deliver higher service levels via a small, highly qualified staff. The new themed food and beverage outlet will build at the second floor of the hotel building by using the closed down North Indian restaurant, Ashoka. The renovation for this new restaurant will implement on the third quarter of the year 2010. When the restaurant is ready for operation with an estimation of six months time from the renovation process to the ability of fully operate, the Chinese and Japanese market already been permeating into Malaysia and would helps in increasing the food and beverage sales to the business. The reengineering of menus and recipe will implement by stages where the first stage will starts on the year end of 2009. Performance measurement will carry out monthly for duration of six months; second stage will proceed if the outcomes fulfill the objectives. On the contrary, a new strategy may need to develop. 8.1.3 Spa In the late 1990s, hotel spas started to follow the path of other operating departments and transformed from support facilities to profit centers where it functions as the complements the lodging experience, drives occupancy levels, enhances average daily rate and provides a distinctive marketing advantage (Anderson, 2007). PPKLIA as a full service airport hotel shouldnt left out the development of its spa service since the demand of spa is increasing where it can create prolonged wellness that integrates and renews body, mind, and spirit. To fully develop the spa operation in PPKLIA, one should know that spas are no longer solely about frivolous self-indulgence and luxurious pampering. PPKLIA should enhance its product-service by adding in a wide range of choices of spa packages with different characteristics for different guests needs such as day spas, medical spas, mineral spring spas or club spas. PPKLIA may need to reevaluate and repackage it with a broader emphasis on self-care, stress relief, emotional balancing, and preventative wellness modalities. Since there is a lots of types of spa, PPKLIA may introduce a few spa type for market testing starting on the year 2009 and the testing may go for a year in order to capture the market preferences and then do repositioning on the following year to offer only one or two types of spa that is the best seller on the year 2009. 8.3 Pricing Strategy Price is a component of the marketing mix and the vehicle used in free enterprise to allocate limited resources. Therefore, organizations should put a great deal of effort into formulating their pricing strategies that integrates marketing and finance in an attempt to create an atmosphere of mutual satisfaction. The product-service attributes are combined with price to provide enough value to satisfy customers, while enabling the organization to cover costs and make adequate profit (Reid and Bonjanic, 2009). 8.3.1 Competitor-Based Pricing From the above competitor set analysis, it can clearly be seen that PPKLIA has the highest pricing when compared to its three other direct competitors. Therefore, PPKLIA should adopt competition-based pricing approach, which is the establishment of price based largely on those of competitors, with less attention paid to costs or demand. The firm might charge the same, more, or less than its major competitors (Kotler et al., 2006). According to Kotler et al. (2006), firms feel that the going price represents the collective wisdom of the industry concerning the price that will yield a fair return; meanwhile holding to the going price will avoid harmful price wars. PPKLIA may need to lower its room rate 20 to 25 percent with which mean the lowest available room rate should be in the range of RM 375.00 RM 400.00 considering the pricing of its main competitors is also close to this price range. A 5 percent of the current room rate will slashed for the first year and it can be adjust grad ually to a certain level that profitable to the business as well. There is another major reason to cut prices, as Kotler et al. (2006) stated, companies cut prices in a drive to dominate the market in the hope of gaining market share through larger volume. The price cutting of PPKLIA would lead its customer to perceive there is better value being offered in the hotel, thus increasing demand. 8.3.2 Product-Bundling Pricing The hotel should also implement product-bundle pricing where it combines several of hotels products and offer the bundle at a reduced price. Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur Airport Hotel Business Strategy Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur Airport Hotel Business Strategy 5.0 Key Factors for Success Key factors for success (KFS) are the critical factors or activities required for ensuring the success of a business. They need to be identified so that an organization can ensure that they can delivers value that meets and exceeds the expectations of its targeted customers better than competitors (Bowie and Buttle, 2007). Two key factors for success have been identified for PPKLIA hotel. The hotel physicals condition and hotel website. PPKLIA established 11 years ago, the exterior of the hotel building now seems aged and the exterior image of the hotel is in old condition with an unattractive design. At first sight, it does not bring an impression of the hotel being a 5-star luxury hotel. This can be considered as one of their weaknesses since there is often an intuitive feeling that effective design can attract customers from the desired target market segment and enable the hotel to price accordingly while operating the unit in an efficient way with the result of this greater market awareness and customer volume is increased profits (Ransley and Ingram, 2001). Hence, PPKLIA should have a refurbishment plan to upgrade the hotels design in order to achieve what had stated by Ransley and Ingram. The hotel web site is another factor which is considered critical to the hotel. To hospitality practitioners, the internet offers a means for them to sell their products to global customers without any geographical or time constraints (Huizingh, 2000). The driving force for hospitality suppliers to establish their web sites includes lower distribution costs and thus higher profits, and a larger potential market. Similarly, consumers can search for their needed information and directly communicate with suppliers at any time and in any place (Waller, 2003). Thus, the web site is an important medium for the hotel to communicate with their markets. 6.0 Mission Statement Organizations develop corporate mission statement in order to share them with their managers, employees and in many cases, customers and other publics (Kotler et al., 2006). According to Pearce and Robinson (1991), mission statement can be defined as broad statement of characteristics (product and market), goals (profit and growth) and philosophies of a business or simply its purpose and philosophies (Byars, 1984). Mission statement below is based on current situation and potential development of PPKLIA. Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur International Airport Hotel will be regarded as the paramount leader of airport hotel in Asia exemplifying service of unmatched sincerity and professionalism. Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur International Airport Hotel will be the best choice in serving the honorable business and leisure travelers according their different needs and wants. At here, we will treat all of our guests as our priority through the delivering of caring and efficient hospitality to create a truly unique signature service where every signature service comprises of our commitment and responsibility on the service provided. Our dedicated employees will go through a series of developing and training in an effort to mould them to become an extraordinary individual in providing a unique sense of professionalism to the guests. We will ensure that every employee is treated fairly with dignity where constantly support and caring from leaders to continuously improve productivity and customer satisfaction. As our hotel surrounded by an oasis of greenery in fusion with luxury, we committed to environmental protection and stewardship by mitigate the impacts on the environment with all the stakeholders to promote and implement responsible environmental practices and continuous improvements. We will ensure our products and services will remain in the high quality to provide satisfaction to the current and future potential customers and at the same time to breakthrough the limitation in creating competitive advantage vis-Ã  -vis competitors by actively expanding our presence globally, with potential developments in a number of domestic and international markets. 7.0 Strategy Formulation The task of analyzing the organizations external and internal environments and then selecting appropriate strategies constitutes strategy formulation. It is a process of taking actions consistent with the selected strategies of the organization (Hill and Jones, 2006). 7.1 Prioritize Existing and New Target Market PPKLIAs current target market composed of business travelers, airline crews, tourists and transit passenger, while 80 per cent of the hotel guests are foreigners with the largest group coming from the United Kingdom and Australia. According to Bowie and Buttle (2007), business travelers tend to be less price-sensitive, since employer generally meets hospitality and travel expenses. This has made them have more budgets to spend in the hotel. Also, they are less concern on seasonal aspects because business travelers contain business trips that are unavoidable due to their job nature. Moreover, with the recent economic downturn, many companies revised their travel spending, with companies arranging meeting near the airport in order for delegates to fly in and out on the same day (Boston Business School, 2009). This causes business travelers as frequent, or regular, users of airport hotel accommodation. Therefore, a 50 percent of target market allocation for business travelers should firstly being prioritized. Besides, a 35 percent of target market will be allocate for transit air travelers as the second group to be prioritized since PPKLIA is the preferred choice for transit air travelers with a few long hour in-between flights. Due to the nature of location of the hotel, it provides convenience to this target market to check-out the hotel and able to catch their flight by just going through a 5-minute walking distance of sky bridge that connecting the hotel and airport. Moreover, these transit passengers are mostly come from the Europe countries where they have high spending power. Thus, it should not be overlooked. Airline crew is the third priority target market group with a 15 percent of target market allocation for it since PPKLIA is an airport hotel, the high volume of intercontinental, regional and international flights, coupled with the need for airline crew to have proper rest periods between flights, has created a demand for group accommodation for hotels within approximately 15 45 minutes travel time of major airports (Bowie and Buttle, 2007). While the distance between KLIA and PPKLIA is only a 5-minute walk make it as the preferred choice of hotel for airline crew to stay in. A prediction from World Tourism Organization (WTO) on China, it expected to send 100 million visitors to other countries (Zhang et al., 2000). Thus, a 60 percent of market allocation should falls under it as first future potential target market to be prioritized. On the other hand, with the popularize by the Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ng Yen Yen, the Japan market would permeate into Malaysia gradually by selling product-service that suit the different target market such as sophisticated office ladies and men, students and pensioners. Therefore, this market would have a 40 percent of market allocation being ranked as the second market to be prioritized. Hence, PPKLIA should grab this opportunity to adjust its products and services to prioritize these markets by cater the needs and wants for the Chinese and Japanese in an effort to enlarge its target market for the business. 7.2 Positioning Statement The concept of positioning statement in a marketing strategy calls for the creation of an image the consumers perception of the subjective attributes of the property vis-Ã  -vis those of the competition. This perception may be radically different from the propertys physical characteristics and the distinction between the perception and the reality is especially important for hotel marketers (Lewis, 1981). Based on the previous internal and external analysis, a repositioning should be carried out in order to revise the marketing strategy for PPKLIA as to increase sales. As a result, a new positioning map (Please refer to Appendix I) has been developed that emphasized on offering the same quality product-service to the guests but with lower price. From the previous positioning map, PPKLIA being plotted at the highest position for the two variables since it has the most expensive room rate compared to its competitors and is the nearest to the subject location, KLIA. As in the new positioning map, PPKLIA is being proposed to lower its ranking from five to four for the price variable. In other words, PPKLIA is encouraged to lower its room rate to the range of RM 375.00 RM 450.00 in order not to have a big difference with its primary competitors while at the same time maintain its quality. Below is an overall positioning statement follow along with statements for various targeted segment of PPKLIA. Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur International Airport Hotel is a five-star airport hotel recognized by prestige awards and accolades based on the high quality product-service offered. At here, we have world-class luxury rooms and suites which are designed to exceptional standards with an intrinsic eye to detail with sumptuous food and beverage outlets serving an extensive variety of exotic cuisine. Meanwhile, a complete facilities and services are offered as well. We also provide a broad array of meeting and banquet services for business travelers and corporate group. Our hotel is surrounded by an oasis of greenery in fusion with luxury themed hotel to boast a relaxation during guests accommodation. All employees are treated as the hotels associates where associate implies partnership and working together and thus they would bring out the best in serving the external customers our guests. Business Travelers: As one of the finest and most conveniently located hotels in Kuala Lumpur, Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur International Airport Hotel is the preferred hotel for business travelers and corporate groups to conduct meetings and functions in our conference venues that offer enormous flexibility from a magnificent ballroom to our state-of-the-art auditoriums. Also, we provide a home away from home and an office away from the office with a complete set of secretarial services at the Business Centre to serve the needs of productive business travelers. Airline Crew: In Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur International Airport Hotel, the hotels lush tropical landscape, water features and soothing environment make for a rejuvenating break in combating jet lagged and weary airline crew that becoming a limiting factor in aircraft operations. Transit Passengers: We are a full-service airport hotel conveniently located adjacent to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport with immediate access to the hotel via a sky bridge. It is the preferred hotel choice for transit air travelers with a few long hours in-between flights. Air travelers with early morning departures or late night arrivals will find the hotel perfectly suited to their unique needs. 7.3 Gap Analysis Ansoff Matrix Gap analysis is the art and science of computing the size of the gap between the sales objectives, and where a forecast based on the SWOT analysis of sales in the future on the identified threats and opportunities that impact on the business (Bowie and Buttle, 2007). It is an analytical tool to be used in conjunction with the Ansoff matrix which is the four alternative strategies to help determine how far each type of action will bridge the gap between initial forecasts for growth and the corporate objective for growth. PPKLIA can be considered as a business with growth-oriented that are more likely to set ambitious stretch targets that want to see the value of their investment increase. If achieved, there will be an improvement on the market value or capitalization of the business. As a result, a gap analysis and ansoff matrix (Please refer to appendix J and K) has been developed for PPKLIA to forecast the future sales that can be achieved in three years time. PPKLIA may starts improving its sales by adopting the lowest-risk growth strategy, market penetration. It is a strategy to improve sales by using the existing products in existing markets and this could increase the current customers rate of use or attracting competitors customers (Hsu and Powers, 2002). In order to do that, a plan in increasing the rooms sales of 5 percent has been suggested through the increase of frequency. Besides that, it is advisable to encourage spend from existing customers by creating more different loyalty program for different target market since PPKLIA only offers loyalty program to secretary and left out the others. Meanwhile, a frequent stay program will be offered after the creating of loyalty program where points will be awarded to guests based on their frequent of stay in the hotel. On the other hand, the hotel staffs especially from front office (front desk, operator, and concierge) should be trained on their up selling skills in order to sell the m ost profitable product to the guest to achieve maximum revenue for the hotel while ensuring total customer satisfactions. Besides, advertising and direct mail campaigns will be carried out to target at the ex-customers too. All these activities can help to boost a 5 percent of sales increase to rooms department and may bring the current hotel revenue of RM 61,709,000 to RM 78,843,093 in the future of three years time. The next strategy to be implemented is the market extension. It features the roll out of existing product-service offers in new markets (Bowie and Buttle, 2007). According to Hsu and Powers (2002), it has greater risk than market penetration because the hotel may lose its market development expenditures if the effort fails. The most common market development activity is to identify new geographic markets. From the previously conducted SWOT analysis, Chinese and Japanese target markets have been identified as the potential target markets for PPKLIA in the future and a succession of marketing communication will be carried out to capture this market. By targeting 3 percent of China and 2 percent of Japan market can help in increasing 5 percent of room sales and contribute an overall sale of RM 82,726,908. Another Ansoff strategy where it emphasized on developing new products in a hotel to increase customer satisfaction by improving the product offered. They are usually improvements and product modifications, rather than radical new product-service concepts (Bowie and Buttle, 2007). However, it is somewhat riskier than market penetration because of the costs involved (Hsu and Powers, 2002). According to Mr. Alex Chin, the director of sales of PPKLIA hotel year 2009, there is a rules of thumb where refurbishment will be carried out on the food and beverage outlets every five years and ten years for rooms because what hospitality operations offer is an experience and the physical setting is a representation of the experience offered (Hsu and Powers, 2002). The refurbishment can enhance the quality of products and hence create novelty to the existing markets. Besides, infusion of new technology into the hotel also consider as one of the tactics in enhancing the products and services offer ed. Technology features to be introduced such as the energy management on controlling rooms air-conditioner and lighting operation where the central computer determines occupancy status and adjusts energy consumption accordingly. Based on the previous internal analysis, the spa service provided in PPKLIA has the high potential to become one of the income generators to the hotel. However, it is not well managed and fully developed. Hence, enlarge its services and products by offering more variety of packages to choose from would attract more guests who emphasize on healthy living. The product development would help in increasing 3 percent of the rooms and spa sales that worth RM 3,205,787 and lead to a future total sales of RM 85,932,695 in the year 2011. When new products are introduced in new markets, diversification occurs. The diversification strategy focuses on creating new product-service offers for new target markets. This is the riskiest growth strategy, since the company has no existing customer or product knowledge to exploit (Bowie and Buttle, 2007). The tactic suggested to PPKLIA is to open a new themed restaurant to cater the Chinese and Japanese target market. The themed restaurant may offer Chinese and or Japanese cuisine since PPKLIA does not have these cuisines served on the current food and beverage outlets. If the plan succeeds, it would increase 7 percent of room sales and food beverage sales that contributes to an overall total sale of RM 90,252,325. According to the gap analysis graph, there is still gap between the diversification strategies and corporate sales objectives with an amount of RM 3,329,351. This is due to the corporate sales objectives being set in an ambitious manner and may need further revise. 7.4 Marketing Mix Objectives Marketing mix decisions is made from the marketing strategies and marketing tactics in order to achieve agreed marketing objectives. Marketing mixes for both the strategies and tactics to ensure that the organization wins sales from the targeted customers against the identified competitors (Bowie and Buttle, 2007). According to Bowie and Buttle (2007), objectives should be Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Realistic, and carried out within a set Timetable (SMART). SMART objectives provide an operational target that measure the performance of the business and act as a control mechanism in determining whether management is effective. Below are the SMART objectives set for PPKLIA to be achieved in the next three years. Annual / monthly sales Objectives: To increase sales from RM 61,709,000 in the current year (2008) to RM 93,581,676 in three years time. Customer Mix: To target Chinese and Japanese leisure market, and achieve 10% of the overall customer mix of the hotel in three years. Location: To purchase five busses in three years time to enhance the accessibility between the hotel and Kuala Lumpur city centre. Product Development To reduce 20 percent of the energy consumption from guestrooms annually. To increase 10 percent food and beverage sales in three years time by establishing new themed food and beverage outlet To increase 30 different variety spa product-service within three years Pricing To set the current room rate 25 percent lower to have similar price with its competitors within a year To offer 30 different variety of packages within three years To setup discriminatory pricing for transit air travelers can fences based on the two types of length of time staying in the hotel with two types of prices within a year. Distribution To increase bookings generated through mobile device by 10 percent in a year. To increase bookings generated through the website by 25 percent in the next 12 months Marketing Communication Objectives To increase five percent room sales through e-mail marketing within three years. To increase awareness amongst Chinese and Japanese market by allocates RM 1 million of advertising fees for three years time People To conduct stimulation training for new entrants once being employed and interpersonal customer service training for existing employee every six months. To form empowerment culture within three years time. 8.0 Marketing Mix Strategies All marketing decisions to accomplish the firms grand strategies and annual objectives can be expressed in terms of the marketing mix variables of location, product-service offer, price, distribution, marketing communications, and people. Marketing mix strategies are plans of action to show how the marketing mix variables will be used to achieve the marketing mix objectives and grand strategies (Reich, 1997). 8.1 Location Strategy According Powers (1990), there are three most important factors to consider when opening a hotel, location, location, and location. Without a good or excellent location the businesss chances of success are greatly reduced. PPKLIA sited on 2.25 hectares of land at Sepang which is a town and district located in the southern part of the state of Selangor in Malaysia. Formerly a sleepy town, Sepang has grown by leaps and bounds due to several recent developments such as the Sepang International Circuit and Sepang Goldcoast. However, it still lack of tourist spots that would offer sightseeing or entertainments. Transit passengers, who prefer not to rest in the room during the few long hours in-between flights, would suggest to pay a visit to Kuala Lumpur (KL). As the capital of Malaysia, it is the most modern and developed city in the country, with contemporary high-rises and world-class hotels, glitzy shopping malls, and international cuisine. It would definitely provide an ultimate guests satisfaction in the aspects of entertainments. Also, places such as Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre and so on are where most of the business travelers would have their meetings, conference, or tr ade show conducted. However, guests who want to access to KL from PPKLIA may feel inconvenience since the hotel located 58 kilometers away from KL and it needs 50 minutes of car driving time to reach there. Even though there is a rail service by Express Rail Link (ERL) which is a standard gauge and electrified airport rail link in Malaysia that connects the KLIA with the Kuala Lumpur Sentral (KL Sentral) transportation hub. Nevertheless, the service is costly for guests who need often access to KL from PPKLIA with a one way ticket that cost RM 35.00 for an adult and RM 15.00 for a child. In order to enhance the accessibility to KL, a strategy on setting up a free shuttle bus service for in-house guests will be proposed. Firstly, for the first year of this proposing, two busses will purchase and performance measurement will be implemented in order to know whether the outcome of this strategy brings an increase on sales to the hotel, then only to proceed to the original proposed plan to purchase three more busses. This is because the purchasing of a bus is costly, thus, if it does not bring a good outcome, a new strategy may need to develop. There are two routes to be offer in this service where the first route will have a linkage between the hotel and the Nilai commuter station. Although there are buses at the airports bus station are offering the same service, however, the buses will stop at every bus station to pick up passengers and it would spend about 45 minutes to reach Nilai commuter station whereas the free shuttle bus service will offer direct route for the in-house guests to the commuter station with just 15 minutes with the frequency of every 15 minutes. Another route will link from the hotel to the KL city centre with the frequency of every hour. The service will only operate from 9 a.m. till 9 p.m. for both routes. 8.2 New Product Development Strategy Kotler et al (2004) define new product as a good, service or idea that is perceived by some potential customers as new. Most new product developments in hospitality operations are evolutionary rather than revolutionary (Bowie and Buttle, 2007). 8.1.1 Guests Rooms Since PPKLIA is an airport hotel that linked with KLIA, we would propose that the concept of the hotel should match with the KLIA. According to Sharp (1999), KLIA represents a fusion between nature and high technology with the concept of symbiosis, which Kisho Kurokawa, the designer of KLIA has described as an airport in the forest which is the worlds first environmentally friendly airport. As a result, PPKLIA should blend a unique amalgamation of green (environmental concern) into the hotel since its greenery surrounding provides a vantage point to become a green hotel. PPKLIA utilizes this transformation as a repositioning tool to differentiate itself from its competitors in order to maintain its leading position in the market. One of the key features in creating green hotel is to reduce the energy consumption in the hotel. Based on a study by Page and Siminovitch (2000), an estimate roughly of 60 percent of lighting energy usage occurs during 9 am to 4 pm period when rooms are generally not occupied. Hence, by introducing of key cards systems which include an energy management features that control the lighting operation where the central computer determines occupancy status and adjusts energy consumption accordingly. It keeps the room constant at a minimal comfort level until a guest requests a more comfortable temperature. It will also switch off the lightning operation in the room automatically when guests are not present. According to Mr. Alex Chin, the director of sales of PPKLIA hotel year 2009, the installation of solar film coating at Degree 24-hour Restaurant and Travellers Bar and Grill help to reduce heat from the sun light that penetrate through the large clear windows and glasses. When heat reduced, the energy cost of air-conditioning would be reduced as well. Thus, this same concept would apply in the guest rooms as well to reduce heat and at the same time the furniture and fixtures in the rooms are also protected from ultra violet damage and should last longer and look much better. To assist in the spectacular metamorphosis of PPKLIA, the transformation program will be conducted in stages so as to minimize disturbance to guests and the properties will remain open throughout the transformation. The new key card system will be installing on the first year of the implementation of the objective for the third to sixth floor; while the remaining floors will proceed in the second year. At the same time of installing the new key card system, the solar coating firm will be installing as well. 8.1.2 Food and beverage outlets One critical attribute of successful hotel food and beverage outlets is their ability to appropriately respond to the changing needs of the market while maintaining a profitable operation (Siguaw and Enz, 2007). Thus, the key concerns on product development for PPKLIAs food and beverage outlets will focus on establishing a new themed restaurant. The purpose of having this new restaurant is to serve the needs of the future potential market from China and Japan. Although both of the targeted markets are from different culture and having distinct dietary habit, however, this strategy proposed on the concept similar to the Four Seasons Hotel in Canada that using only one food and beverage outlet with two dining rooms to provide the fusion of Chinese and Japanese cuisine. By having a single food and beverage outlet, the hotel can offer two dining rooms that differ in design, but it shares the same menu, chefs, line cooks, and kitchens. Compared to having multiple outlets, this approach allows the service staff members to provide greater attention to food quality and presentation, to focus on small details, and to deliver higher service levels via a small, highly qualified staff. The new themed food and beverage outlet will build at the second floor of the hotel building by using the closed down North Indian restaurant, Ashoka. The renovation for this new restaurant will implement on the third quarter of the year 2010. When the restaurant is ready for operation with an estimation of six months time from the renovation process to the ability of fully operate, the Chinese and Japanese market already been permeating into Malaysia and would helps in increasing the food and beverage sales to the business. The reengineering of menus and recipe will implement by stages where the first stage will starts on the year end of 2009. Performance measurement will carry out monthly for duration of six months; second stage will proceed if the outcomes fulfill the objectives. On the contrary, a new strategy may need to develop. 8.1.3 Spa In the late 1990s, hotel spas started to follow the path of other operating departments and transformed from support facilities to profit centers where it functions as the complements the lodging experience, drives occupancy levels, enhances average daily rate and provides a distinctive marketing advantage (Anderson, 2007). PPKLIA as a full service airport hotel shouldnt left out the development of its spa service since the demand of spa is increasing where it can create prolonged wellness that integrates and renews body, mind, and spirit. To fully develop the spa operation in PPKLIA, one should know that spas are no longer solely about frivolous self-indulgence and luxurious pampering. PPKLIA should enhance its product-service by adding in a wide range of choices of spa packages with different characteristics for different guests needs such as day spas, medical spas, mineral spring spas or club spas. PPKLIA may need to reevaluate and repackage it with a broader emphasis on self-care, stress relief, emotional balancing, and preventative wellness modalities. Since there is a lots of types of spa, PPKLIA may introduce a few spa type for market testing starting on the year 2009 and the testing may go for a year in order to capture the market preferences and then do repositioning on the following year to offer only one or two types of spa that is the best seller on the year 2009. 8.3 Pricing Strategy Price is a component of the marketing mix and the vehicle used in free enterprise to allocate limited resources. Therefore, organizations should put a great deal of effort into formulating their pricing strategies that integrates marketing and finance in an attempt to create an atmosphere of mutual satisfaction. The product-service attributes are combined with price to provide enough value to satisfy customers, while enabling the organization to cover costs and make adequate profit (Reid and Bonjanic, 2009). 8.3.1 Competitor-Based Pricing From the above competitor set analysis, it can clearly be seen that PPKLIA has the highest pricing when compared to its three other direct competitors. Therefore, PPKLIA should adopt competition-based pricing approach, which is the establishment of price based largely on those of competitors, with less attention paid to costs or demand. The firm might charge the same, more, or less than its major competitors (Kotler et al., 2006). According to Kotler et al. (2006), firms feel that the going price represents the collective wisdom of the industry concerning the price that will yield a fair return; meanwhile holding to the going price will avoid harmful price wars. PPKLIA may need to lower its room rate 20 to 25 percent with which mean the lowest available room rate should be in the range of RM 375.00 RM 400.00 considering the pricing of its main competitors is also close to this price range. A 5 percent of the current room rate will slashed for the first year and it can be adjust grad ually to a certain level that profitable to the business as well. There is another major reason to cut prices, as Kotler et al. (2006) stated, companies cut prices in a drive to dominate the market in the hope of gaining market share through larger volume. The price cutting of PPKLIA would lead its customer to perceive there is better value being offered in the hotel, thus increasing demand. 8.3.2 Product-Bundling Pricing The hotel should also implement product-bundle pricing where it combines several of hotels products and offer the bundle at a reduced price.