Strategic Diagnosis Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strategic Diagnosis Project - Research Paper Example Moreover the search engine also acts as an encyclopedia which helps the users to gain potential information of a variety of subjects. The Google website also acts as a revenue and market generator for companies which advertise their products and services via the online sphere. Google which had a very humble beginning now operates based on several branches spread along several quarters of the globe. The company thus has a huge portfolio of skilled and efficient human resources operating from the several offices to help the concern achieve its end objectives. Google operating fully on the internet sphere happens to gain a large market worldwide for the best quality of services rendered which fulfills the parameter of customer satisfaction. (Google-b, n.d.). Strategic activities initiated focus on tapping niche market bases by producing different products like scholar, earth and map applications. Research and development team of Google is working to produce these types of products and s ervices which helps in gaining an innovated customer profile. Google’s innovativeness gains hold through the large scale maintenance of potential information which is gained through the operation based on its highly innovative software which helps in gaining faster access to large volumes of data from different sources. (McLoughlin & Aaker, 2010, p.145-146). As part of its strategic initiatives Google focuses on gaining a target market composed of normal viewers and other potential product and service advertisers. This community of commercial people helps the firm in gaining potential revenues through the large scale advertising activities conducted over the online sphere. Further the company has also devised another service branch to cater fully to the needs of the advertisers and other commercial people. The AdSense software devised by Google helps the advertising community to sponsor related links on the web portal. Through such links the web visitors can gain instant acce ss to the profiles of the different companies having advertised their products and services. (Cahill, 2006, p.57). Vision, Mission & Values Google is one of the business firms that has revolutionized three business world as well as the life of the individuals across the globe. Google is now an integral part of every person who uses the internet. Google is perhaps the most popular search engine across the globe with millions of active users in the world. Mission A mission statement is a short statement typically comprised of a single sentence that tries to highlight the general purpose of the organization. The mission statement also reflects the business strategies of a firm with regards to its suppliers, customers as well as the employees of the organization. Mission statements are therefore very important as they not only act as a framework of inspiration and aspiration but also help in generating a formidable brand image and suitable positioning of the firm in the minds of the cus tomers. Mission statements should also be quantifiable and largely measurable so as to provide clear guidance and instructions towards all the major stakeholders as well as customers (Kaplan, Norton & Barrows, 2008, p.3-4). The mission statement of Google is stated below: â€Å"

Foster Parenting and Foster Care in Louisiana Research Paper

Foster Parenting and Foster Care in Louisiana - Research Paper Example Foster parents need to develop for the child a ‘family-like environment’ (Department of Children and Family Services, Foster Parenting 2012), ensuring that the vital needs of the child, in terms of food, clothing, health and education, are fully covered. Foster parents also need to support the personal development and growth of the child (Department of Children and Family Services, Foster Parenting 2012). It should be noted that foster parents do not have parental rights, at least not at the same level as the birth parents; for this reason, foster parents need to cooperate with the local authorities and the birth parents for identifying the needs of the child in terms of daily care. The above rules are common in foster parenting schemes developed across USA. In Louisiana, authorities have focused on the support of foster parents so that the care provided to the children, in the context of foster parenting, to be as appropriate as possible. In 2003, the number of children in foster care in Louisiana has been estimated to 4,541 (Foster Care Month Organization 2005). Among those children, 53 are male, while the average age of children in foster care is 10 years (Foster Care Month Organization 2005). As of September of 2003, the average period that a foster child stays in a foster family has been estimated to 29 months, which can be characterized as rather long (Foster Care Month Organization 2005). In 2004, the number of certified foster homes in Louisiana was estimated to 2,822 (Foster Care Month Organization 2005). In order for a family to provide foster care, it has to ask for a foster care certification. The requirements of this certification are the following ones: a) provision of information to foster family in regard to the needs and the demands of the program, b) the submission of a relevant application, c) fingerprints are provided by all members of the foster family, meaning those members who are

Isobel Dixon And Mervyn Morris

Isobel Dixon And Mervyn Morris Little Boy Crying by Mervyn Morris and Plenty by Isobel Dixon both explore the vivid childhood memories and experiences of the poets. In Little Boy Crying, a father deals with the troubles of raising a and disciplining a child; whereas in Plenty, Dixon describes her youth when she and her sisters could not afford the things they so greedily stole behind their mothers back; finally comparing it to her prosperous present. I will explore how the poets use imagery and language, voice and tone, and structure and form to create effects and convey their experiences. Little Boy Crying is based on a fathers true story revealing the how he once treated his son. It depicts the themes of sadness, remorse, and love. Morris describes his battle with fighting the regret he feels for slapping his son because he loves him so much, longs to lift you, curb your sadness. This is perhaps to depict the contrast between the two emotions and the danger of what happens when they collide. At first, the reader empathizes with the boy, however, as the poem progresses and the fathers situation is understood, the reader begins to empathize for him as well. Plenty, is based on Dixons chaotic youth with her sisters. It explores the themes of chaos, restriction, and realization. Dixon writes about her memories of the past, often referring to her mothers anger over the chaos she and her sisters create by ignoring the mothers restrictions, her lipsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ anchored downà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ not knowing then it was a clasp to keep us all from chaos. This shows that as you get older, you realize the importance of order and begin appreciating your parents hard labor. Mervyn Morris use of powerful language helps the reader relate to the situation described. The title, Little Boy Crying, already provokes a sad image of what is forthcoming in the poem, creating an instantaneous dramatic effect on the reader. In the first stanza, Morris expresses the changes which his son undertook since the slap, mouth contorting, laughter metamorphosed, and frame so recently relaxed now tight. The word metamorphosed, exemplifies the rapidity of the change of the boys facial expression, creating a more powerful image of the emotions the boy is feeling. These changes quickly introduce the reader to the circumstances. Powerful imagery of water is seen in the phrase swimming tears, splashing your bare feet, where sibilance and personification of the tears have been used to invoke a more dramatic sense of the boys misery. The phrase quick slap stuck, creates a more sped up and violent interpretation of the happenings; and the use of onomatopoeia in slap, creates a more graphic scene. Overall in the first stanza of Little Boy Crying, many sad and angry words are used to create a depressed mood: Howls, frameà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ tight, frustration, swimming tears, and guilt or sorrow. Such powerful phrases are used to invoke a more immediate effect of grief and a relation to the situation by the reader. The reader becomes more compassionate and understanding of the characters. In the second stanza the father imagines himself in the sons position, alluding to the fairytale Jack and the Bean stalk, evoking powerful imagery of hatred as well, The ogre, grim giant, colossal cruel, Chopped clean the tree [the fathers] scrambling down. The use of alliteration of g in grim giant and c in colossal cruel, places emphasis on the phrases to describe the pure hatred the father thinks the boy must feel against him, signifying that he knows he is being mean and understands his decisions were harsh. The reference to a well-known fairytale increases the readers ability to relate to the situation and creates a more vivid scenario. In the third stanza, the line You cannot understand, not yet demonstrates that the child does not acknowledge the fact that his father is teaching him a lesson. The father seems very guilt struck and at fault that he had to take such measures to teach a lesson, The hurt your easy tears can scald him with. The boy does not realize the pain his display of sadness causes his father, who obviously takes no pleasure in making his son cry. The father seems to regret his actions however stays firm to teach the lesson, Longs to lift you, curb your sadness. The alliteration of l emphasizes the longing however the father stays strong to ensure his son is raised with the correct values. The last stanza implies the little boy has been playing in the rain, you must not make a plaything of the rain. This line has several meanings such as the immorality of trying to get sympathy by crying. On another level, it could be the father instructing himself to take his lessons more seriously and his need stay firm to show discipline. Isobel Dixon also uses powerful imagery and language to convey her messages. The title itself contrasts with nearly the entirety of the poem as poverty has placed them far away from Plenty. Isobel Dixon creates an intense mood using vivid description early on in the poem. In the first stanza the reader is introduced to Dixons memory of an enamel tub, age-stained and pocked upon its griffin claws, never full. Such an image conveys the impression that that the family cannot afford proper equipment such as a bathtub and is unable to fill it with water as it is too costly and in short supply. Water is recognized as a representation of their deprivation from basic necessities in the ongoing expanse of drought where dams leaked dry and windmills stalled. The alliteration of d in the phrase drought where dams leaked dry, enhances the effectiveness of the image created by making them more prominent in the description. The stalled windmills are subsequently compared with the mothers smile, Like mommys smile. This infers that her smile has stalled. Dixon uses metaphors to describe her mothers frown, a clasp to keep us all from chaos. The metaphor is used to create a more vivid image of the mothers efforts to keep the family together. Additionally, the onomatopoeia of the word clasp creates a more powerful picture. Many cases of sibilance are found in the phrase she saw it always, snapping locks and straps, the spilling: sums and worries, shopping listsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The ongoing repetition of the consonant s creates an almost explosive ringing. The poet uses contradictory phrases to exaggerate their meaning in the oxymoron, each month was weeks too long. A month is always an exact number of weeks long; however Dixon implies that they never had enough money to cover an entire months worth of spending. In the penultimate stanza, when describing the present, Dixon uses enjambment in the line waters plentiful, to excess, almost, here./ This creates a slower progression in the poem and exemplifies how she is disregarding all her previous worries about taking another precious of water. Little Boy Crying, is written from the voice of the father; however it changes perspective several times. In the first stanza, the father is observing the reaction of his son. In the second stanza, the father attempts to view the situation from his sons point of view. In the third stanza a third-person view responds to the happenings, explaining the fathers feelings. In contrast, Plenty, is written entirely from Dixons point of view. She writes in a voice which seems apologetic because of all the disorder she now recognizes she caused, not knowing then, and we thought her mean. Later, she compares it to the present, where bubbles lap my chin. Even though she is grateful for the present luxury in her life, she misses her childhood, miss my scattered sisters. In Little Boy Crying, Morris uses long sentences with small amounts of punctuation to create tension and make the reader keep reading. The first stanza is composed of seven lines, however only one sentence. The stanza length is a little beyond average, and the last stanza ends abruptly as it consists only of one line. Ending a poem with one line creates force and stress to the line, making the reader consider it more. The use of enjambment establishes a greater emphasis on the word previous to it, such as howls, frustration, and tears. This is done to put pressure on specific words, empowering their meaning and adding importance to their effect. They become more noticeable than the rest of the words In Plenty, Dixon uses normal length sentences and stanzas, which contradicts the chaos depicted in the poem. She does not use very much enjambment, creating an ongoing flow of reading. Her use of punctuation varies greatly as in the fourth stanza; three full-stops are used. On the other hand, in the fifth and sixth stanzas, altogether only one full-stop is used. This creates tension when its needed and adds a story-like effect. Little Boy Crying, by Mervyn Morris and Plenty, by Isobel Dixon both delve into the moving childhood experiences they have. In Little Boy Crying, a father resists the urge to apologize to his son for disciplining him; whereas in Plenty, Dixon describes her chaotic youth with her sisters; finally comparing it to her present. Little Boy Crying explores the themes of sadness, discipline, and regret. Plenty, explores the themes of chaos, restriction, and realization. Both poems have their underlying messages such as in plenty, where patience helps us all deal with many of lifes everyday problems. In Little Boy Crying, one learns the difficulty of punishing a child even though it is for the greater good of them.

Hong Kong Airlines Marketing Plan for India Essay

1. Introduction The purpose of this project is to develop an international marketing plan for Hong Kong Airlines to expand to the India market. The first part of the project will cover the current marketing mix and strategies of Hong Kong Airlines, as well as the SWOT analysis. The second part will analyze the India market and explore the feasibility for Hong Kong Airlines to enter this market as a low-cost carrier, or commonly known as a budget airline. It will be followed by some foreseeable challenges, with the relevant remedial measures. 2. Current Marketing Mix This section will illustrate the current marketing mix of Hong Kong Airlines. Product/Service Hong Kong Airlines is a full service carrier which provides both scheduled regional flights and cargo services within the Asia-pacific Region. Price The airfare for Hong Kong Airlines is relatively lower than that of its competitors such as Cathay Pacific and Dragonair. Place Hong Kong Airlines is a Hong Kong-based airline with its main hub and corporate head office at the Hong Kong International Airport. It uses the bauhinia flower, the emblem of Hong Kong, as its logo. People Hong Kong Airlines emphasizes that their staff are young and energetic. It is expected that the size of employees will reach 2,600 in the near future. Physical Evidence As of February 2013, Hong Kong Airlines’ fleet consists of 25 aircrafts with an average age of 3.9 years. This is relatively new when comparing with other airlines. Processes Hong Kong Airlines adopts both direct and indirect process – direct online sales via its corporate website and indirect sales via travel agencies. Promotion Currently Hong Kong Airlines promotes mainly via advertising, incentives, customer relationship management and public relations. Advertising Hong Kong Airlines does both hard and soft selling through digital platforms, including its corporate website, Facebook, Weibo and Mobile Apps. Positioning as a young and enthusiastic airline, Hong Kong Airlines has invested a considerable amount on online channels in order to reach its potential customers. Besides, Hong Kong Airlines has utilized television commercials, printed advertisements and advertorials in magazines. Incentives Hong Kong Airlines collaborates with local travel agencies, such as China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited. The travel agencies bundle air tickets with hotel accommodation and offer seasonal packages with appealing discounts. Customer Relationship Management Hong Kong Airlines has a customer loyalty programme – the Fortune Wing Club. The membership benefits include air award redemption, priority check-in and extra baggage allowance to its frequent flyers. Public Relations Hong Kong Airlines highly involves in charity projects and sponsorship events. For example, it has launched the fund raising programme, Fly & Care, which aims to subsidy athletes for preparing the 2016 Brazil Paralympic Games. It has also received various service awards such as the Capital Weekly Service Awards in 2012. 3. Current Marketing Strategy The majority of Hong Kong Airlines’ passengers are middle-aged males, with annual income below RMB150,000. They are generally value-conscious customers who are looking for reasonable service level with a relatively low airfare. Figure 3.1 summarizes some features of Hong Kong Airlines’ passengers. Geographic Segment| 84% from Asia-pacific region, with Hong Kong constituting 36%.| Demographic Segment| Gender * Male > 70% * Female < 30%Age * Below 30: 28% * 31 – 50: 60%Annual Income Level (in RMB) * Below 60k: 12% * >60k-100K: 23.3% * >100k – 150k: 31.5% * >150k – 200k : 9.4% * >200k – 400k: 8.9% * >400k: 14.9%| Travel Purpose| * Business travel: 71% * Vacation/others: 29%| Figure 3.1Segmentation of Hong Kong Airlines’ Passenger Competitors of Hong Kong Airlines High price Low price Low service quality High service quality Figure 3.2 Perceptual Map of Competitors The vertical and horizontal axes of Figure 3.2 represent price and service level respectively. Hong Kong Airlines is located at the bottom right corner because it provides reasonable service level with competitive price. Dragonair and Tiger Airways both operate on similar routings as Hong Kong Airlines. With Dragonair positioning as a premium brand while Tiger Airways being a low-cost carrier, they are selected for a more detailed competitor analysis. Dragonair Dragonair is an international airline based in Hong Kong, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the flagship carrier of Hong Kong – Cathay Pacific. It aims to offer customers enjoyable and comfortable flying experience via its full scope of services and quality cabin products. Its customers’ demographic profile is very close to that of Hong Kong Airlines: 85% of the passengers live in Asia-pacific and 30% of them live in Hong Kong; 66% are males and their average age is 41-year-old; and the average personal monthly income is around USD5,000. They are service-sensitive and less price-conscious. More than half of the passengers are frequent travelers who fly for more than 6 times annually. Tiger Airways Tiger Airways is a low-cost carrier based in Singapore. Low-cost carrier refers to airline that provides limited scope of service with low airfares. The airfare is meant for the transport service only and customers have to pay extra for baggage allowance, food and beverages etc, if required. For example, Tiger Airways offers a buy-on-board program, Tiger Bites, for customers to purchase food and beverage. Tiger Airways operates between Singapore and some regional destinations in Southeast Asia, Australia, China and India. Their passengers are price-conscious and less service-sensitive. 4. SWOT Analysis Strengths Hong Kong Airlines can enjoy strong financial support from their parent company, Hainan Airline, which is the largest privately owned air transport company in China. Operating in a relatively small scale, Hong Kong Airlines can be flexible and responsive to the market changes. Its young fleet includes both short / medium haul aircrafts (A320) and long haul aircrafts (A330-200 & A330-300), which can support routings between Hong Kong and Asia-pacific ports. Figure 4.1A330-200’s Coverage (from Hong Kong) Figure 4.2A330-300’s Coverage (from Hong Kong) Weaknesses Hong Kong Airlines has a weak financial management. The Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Limited has stopped providing services to Hong Kong Airlines due to its inability to settling the bills. This forces Hong Kong Airlines to turn to another aircraft maintenance service provider – China Aircraft Services Ltd. Hong Kong Airlines is also weak in operational management. The Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department has frozen the fleet expansion plans of Hong Kong Airlines since August 2012 due to safety concerns, and advised it to consolidate the existing operations with current fleet size. With a relatively small scale of operations, Hong Kong Airlines has a rather weak bargaining power with its suppliers of aircrafts, fuel, and aircraft maintenance services. Opportunities The tourism industry in Asia-pacific region is expected to expand due to the fast economic growth, and the implementation of the intra-regional policies in tourism development. Currently the intra-regional traffic constitutes around 78% of Asian tourism, with budget airlines account for 24.9% of Asia’s total passenger traffic. The Hong Kong Tourism Board will invest around HKD30 million in opening up new visitor sources in five new markets – India, the Middle East, Russia, Vietnam and the Netherlands. These developments in tourism will definitely increase the demand for air travel. Threats There are keen competitions in the aviation industry, involving both the market leaders and low-cost carriers. One of the major operation costs for an airline is the fuel cost, which has a great impact on an airline’s profitability. If the crude oil prices return to the peak of USD70-odd or higher, some small-scale airlines, like Hong Kong Airlines, may be unable to survive. 5. Expansion to India This section comprises an analysis of the India market, a marketing plan for Hong Kong Airlines to expand to India and some foreseeable challenges. Market Analysis To expand the business of Hong Kong Airlines, entering the India market as a low-cost carrier would be a considerable option based on the factors below: Increase in Indian outbound travel The number of Indian outbound travel has been increased from 5.4 million in 2003 to 12.5 million in 2010. The World Tourism Organization predicts that India will account for 50 million outbound tourists by 2020. Figure 5.1Outbound Traveler Numbers of India Depreciation of Indian rupee The Indian rupee has been depreciating and cheap air tickets are becoming more preferable for the value-conscious Indian tourists. Increase in the popularity of low-cost carriers The demand for cheap air tickets has made low-cost carriers more popular in India. In 2012, 37% of the Indian leisure travelers travel overseas via budget airlines. No low-cost carriers available between Hong Kong and India Despite the wide coverage amongst the Asia-pacific areas by existing low-cost carriers, currently there are no direct flights between Hong Kong and India operated by any low-cost carriers. Change in Indian aviation policy In September 2012, the Indian government has eased the restriction by allowing foreign direct investment up to 49% in private Indian airlines. 2013-2014 Work Plan of Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) To open up new visitor sources for Hong Kong, the HKTB has been actively developing new markets, including India. The proposed marketing budget for India in 2013-2014 will be HKD13.4 million. The above factors have illustrated a growing market for low-cost carriers in India, which is not yet fully accommodated by existing airlines. Together with the open-up policy of Indian government and the marketing plan of HKTB, it is a favorable opportunity for Hong Kong Airlines to expand its operation into India as a low-cost carrier. [Remarks: There are rumors that Hong Kong Airlines’ sister airline, Hong Kong Express, will relaunch itself as a low-cost carrier in the near future. However, no relevant official announcement has been made by either the Hainan Group or Hong Kong Express. Regardless, this project aims to propose Hong Kong Airlines to enter India as low-cost carrier; any future development plans of other subsidiaries of the Hainan Group should be investigated separately.] International Market Plan Objectives This plan serves to relaunch Hong Kong Airlines as a low-cost carrier in India. It aims to raise public awareness of the company’s new positioning in the India market, with the ultimate goal to increase revenue. Target Audience This plan will target the potential customers in Mumbai and Delhi, which are the two cities containing the most outbound travel population in India – 33% and 26% respectively. Entry Strategy The ideal entry strategy will be cooperating with a local airline or company in the form of joint venture. It will reduce the risk of investment, and also serve to comply with the local government’s policy on foreign direct investment. However, Hong Kong Airlines needs to be very careful in choosing the right local partner as most of the local airlines are suffering from severe financial problems. Therefore, it would be preferable to resemble the capital partnership between Air Asia and the Tata Group in India. Market Strategy In view of the strong cultural differences between India and Hong Kong, Hong Kong Airlines will adopt a localized market strategy and compete as a market nicher amongst the existing competitors. Marketing Mix The table below summarizes the marketing mix which Hong Kong Airlines will adopt to enter the India market. Price| * Low| Product /Service| * Limited | Place| * Local back office * Online channels| People| * Local employees| Promotion| Direct Advertising * Digital marketing: website, Facebook * Interactive marketing * Outdoor promotions * Membership programmeIndirect Advertising * Cooperation with other organizations / companies: Hong Kong Tourism Board, India’s Ministry of Tourism & travel agents * Product placement in films| Figure 5.2Summary of Marketing Mix for Hong Kong Airlines’ expansion to the India Market Price As a low-cost carrier, the airfare will be much lower than its rivals. Product The scope of service will be limited – the airfare will only include the transport service. Customers will be required to pay extra for the others, such as baggage handling, in-flight catering and entertainment. Place Hong Kong Airlines will set up local office in India, mainly for back-end operation but not customer-facing. Instead, it will utilize the online channels to approach the customers because there is a continuous increase in the number of internet users in India – from 5.5 million in 2000 to 100 million in 2010. People In terms of people, the company will recruit local employees to address the cultural differences between Hong Kong and India. Promotion The promotions can be classified as Direct Advertising and Indirect Advertising; the former refers to advertisements that reach the public directly, while the latter includes cooperation with other organizations and companies. For direct advertising, Hong Kong Airlines will utilize the digital marketing channels by setting up website and Facebook page specifically for India; besides having a fast growing amount of internet users, India also has the world’s third largest Facebook community. Interactive marketing activities, such as games and contests, can be introduced through these channels. The company will conduct outdoor promotions, like billboards, to respond to the cultural characteristics of Indians – collectivism and the preference of public space. Hong Kong Airlines will expand its membership programme, Bauhinia Miles, to India to retain customers and build a customer database for future promotions. Customers will be offered purchase discount upon accumulating certain amount of credits, through participating in the promotion events, such as referral. It is different from other customer loyalty programmes, which customers can redeem complimentary flights or lifestyle awards with flying miles. Since Hong Kong Airlines will operate as a low-cost carrier offering low airfare, it would be difficult for the company to offer excessive complimentary awards to customers. As for indirect advertising, Hong Kong Airlines can cooperate with the Hong Kong Tourism Board and the India’s Ministry of Tourism to promote Hong Kong Tourism to the Indians, and vice versa. This tie in with the current strategy of HKTB to explore new visitor sources in new markets, including India. The company will also cooperate with local travel agents to provide low-cost travel packages because 60% of Indians used to purchase air tickets through travel agents. Also, the depreciation of rupee induces demand for cheap travel packages. Since Bollywood, the Hindi-language film industry, is one of the largest film product centres worldwide, Hong Kong Airlines will cooperate with the local film production companies for product placement. Potential Challenges The cultural differences between India and Hong Kong may obstruct the understanding and effective communication with the potential customers. Recruitment of local employees and learning from the local partner(s) will help ease the cultural impact. Another challenge will be the high burden on operating cost due to the high taxation on luxury in India. Travel is still being regarded as a luxury in India and the tax on jet fuel is 70% more than that in other countries. So Hong Kong Airlines needs to ensure a high passenger load factor on each flight and to strictly control other costs in order to leverage the overall operating costs. 6. Conclusion Hong Kong Airlines is currently a full service carrier in Hong Kong targeting value-conscious customers. In order to expand its business, entering the India market would be a favorable option for the company because of the various opportunities of the India market – the increase in India outbound travel, depreciation of Indian rupee, no existing direct competitors, change in Indian aviation policy, and upcoming work plan of Hong Kong Tourism Board. In view of the market situation, the marketing plan of Hong Kong Airlines will relaunch the company as a low-cost carrier in India, targeting the two cities with most outbound travel population, in the form of joint venture. It aims to raise public awareness of the company’s new positioning in the India market, with the ultimate goal to increase revenue. The marketing mix will be – offering low airfare; providing limited scope of services; setting up local back office and utilizing online channels; as well as recruiting local employees. A wide range of direct and indirect advertising will be adopted, which includes online marketing, outdoor promotion, membership programmes, cooperation with other organizations and companies, and product placement in films. As if other business expansion plans, Hong Kong Airlines will face some challenges when entering the India market. The most crucial one is the cultural difference between Hong Kong and India, which can be eased by recruiting local employees and learning from the local partner. Another one would be the high tax burden induced by the Indian government, which would be remedied by leveraging the overall operating cost. 7. References 1. Hong Kong Airlines official website http://www.hongkongairlines.com 2. Fortune Wings Club official website http://ffp.hnair.com/FFPCluben/ 3. Hong Kong Airlines’ Fly & Care programme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx99gmWh8hI 4. Hong Kong Airlines advertising media introduction, NINGBO airline media & Co. Ltd, 2011 http://wenku.baidu.com/view/38e6dd2f453610661ed9f4c3.html 5. Dragonair official website http://www.dragonair.com/da/en_INTL/homepage 6. Introduction of Dragonair, SUMMIT MEDIA 7. Tiger Airways, Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_Airways 8. Hong Kong Airlines, Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_Airlines 9. Hong Kong Airlines, Asia’s fastest growing carrier, looks to become reckoning force in the region, CAPA, 15 November 2012 http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/hong-kong-airlines-asias-fastest-growing-carrier-looks-to-become-reckoning-force-in-the-region-86233 10. Launching low cost carriers in emerging Asia: Is now the time?, Travel Daily Asia, 2012 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/asia/launching-low-cost-carriers-in-emerging-asia-is-now-the-time 11. Indian Outbound Travel, India International Travel Mart http://www.iitmindia.com/uploads/iitmindia/India%20Outbound%20Travel%20-%20A%20Report.pdf 12. Legislative Council Panel on Economic Development, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Work Plan for 2013-2014 http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr12-13/english/panels/edev/papers/edev0225cb1-565-3-e.pdf 13. The development of the low cost airline industry in Asia http://www.ukessays.com/essays/tourism/low-cost-airline-industry-in-asia.php#ixzz2Qddj87mW 14. Rupee falls most in 4 months on global dollar strength, Reuters, The times of India, May 10, 2013 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Rupee-falls-most-in-4-months-on-global-dollar-strength/articleshow/19989344.cms 15. Outbound tourism market from India grows: Four emerging trends, Malini Goyal, ET Bureau, The Economic Times, Apr 14, 2013 http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-04-14/news/38529310_1_direct-flights-indians-thai-airways 16. India – Outbound, LiveBean http://www.livebeanhospitality.com/pdf/unravel-the-indian-roap-trick.pdf 17. India internet usage stats and telecommunications market report, internet world stats http://www.internetworldstats.com/asia/in.htm 18. Understanding Growth Markets: China & India, Nielsen http://www.tnhindia.in/statistics_kit/statistics.pdf 19. Hong Kong Airlines’ Bauhinia Miles Programme http://www.hongkongairlines.com/en_HK/buddyclub/about 20. Foreign airlines see beyond clouds in India http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/38d491ee-7be5-11e2-99f0-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2Seqza9VO ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Hong Kong Airlines official website http://www.hongkongairlines.com/en_HK/aboutus/ourfleet [ 2 ]. Fortune Wings Club official website http://ffp.hnair.com/FFPCluben/ [ 3 ]. Hong Kong Airlines’ Fly & Care programme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx99gmWh8hI [ 4 ]. Hong Kong Airlines’ official website http://www.hongkongairlines.com/en_HK/aboutus/awards [ 5 ]. Hong Kong Airlines’ advertising media introduction, NINGBO airline media&CO.LTD, 2011 http://wenku.baidu.com/view/38e6dd2f453610661ed9f4c3.html [ 6 ]. Dragonair official website http://www.dragonair.com/da/en_INTL/homepage [ 7 ]. Dragonair introduction, SUMMIT MEDIA [ 8 ]. Tiger Airways, Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_Airways [ 9 ]. Hong Kong Airlines, Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_Airlines [ 10 ]. Hong Kong Airlines, Asia’s fastest growing carrier, looks to become reckoning force in the region, CAPA, 15 November 2012 http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/hong-kong-airlines-asias-fastest-growing-carrier-looks-to-become-reckoning-force-in-the-region-86233 [ 11 ]. Hong Kong Airlines, Asia’s fastest growing carrier, looks to become reckoning force in the region, CAPA, 15 November 2012 http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/hong-kong-airlines-asias-fastest-growing-carrier-looks-to-become-reckoning-force-in-the-region-86233 [ 12 ]. Launching low cost carriers in emerging Asia: Is now the time? , Travel Daily Asia, 2012 http://www.traveldailymedia.com/asia/launching-low-cost-carriers-in-emerging-asia-is-now-the-time [ 13 ]. Legislative Council Panel on Economic Development, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Work Pl an for 2013-2014 [ 14 ]. The development of the low cost airline industry in Asia http://www.ukessays.com/essays/tourism/low-cost-airline-industry-in-asia.php#ixzz2Qddj87mW [ 15 ]. Rupee falls most in 4 months on global dollar strength,

Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy

Around 12% of all pregnancies occur to women who continue to smoke throughout their pregnancy. Two thirds of those involved in maternal smoking during pregnancy are Caucasian. More than 500,000 infants each year are exposed to cigarette smoke in utero. Maternal smoking during pregnancy has been heavily linked to many infant and toddler health issues. Health issues are also apparent in women who do not smoke during pregnancy, but are regularly exposed to smoke during their pregnancy.   This applies most to those who live with a smoker, or those who work in smoking environments. It is a known fact that maternal smoking during pregnancy produces more premature births and babies with lower birth weights. Maternal smoking during pregnancy has also been associated with babies who have colic. It has been found that tobacco smoke raises levels of motilin in the blood and intestines when maternal smoking during pregnancy is apparant. These raised levels causes contractions of the stomach and intestines to increase. The increased levels of motilin can cause colic in infants, which can cause the infants pain and discomfort for months. Studies show that infants who had colic at 3 months of age had more sleep difficulties and temper tantrums at 3 years of age in comparison with those children without colic. Studies show that maternal smoking during pregnancy leads to more rebellious and aggressive infants and toddlers, helping to link smoking during pregnancy to behavior in infants and toddlers. Mothers who smoked during pregnancy also reported more negative behavior from their infants and toddlers than mothers who did not smoke during pregnancy. Studies show that maternal smoking during pregnancy can have behavioral affects on the infant well into adulthood. Question Does maternal smoking during pregnancy affect the personality (behavior, mood) of an infant and continue to have an affect into toddler hood? Hypothesis It is suspected that maternal smoking during pregnancy does indeed have an affect on the personality (behavior, mood) of an infant and continues to have an affect into toddler hood. Conducting a study on the behavior of infants born to mothers who smoked during their pregnancy, and continuing the study through their toddler years can provide adequate research for this question. This study would need to monitor the child in his or her normal environment as well as in typical social environments. The child’s behavior would then be compared to the behavior of children of the same age and developmental stage that were born to mothers who did not smoke during the pregnancy. By collecting all of the data and analyzing it, there may be a pattern of behavior differences between the children who were born to smoking mothers and those who were born to non-smoking mothers. Problems It may be difficult to pinpoint aggressive or negative behavior from children on the sole fact that their mother smoked during their pregnancy. It will be difficult to factor in behavioral and discipline techniques used by guardians of these children. It may be difficult to get mothers to admit they smoked during their pregnancy, as they may be embarrassed of their lack of attention to the health issues that may have been affected. It may be impossible to set a standard and determine what is normal rebellious behavior for an infant and toddler and what is abnormal behavior. Sources Hitti, Miranda. â€Å"Tobacco Smoke May Increase Colic†. 4 October, 2004. http://my.webmd.com/content/article/94/103060.htm. Acquired on 22 June 2005. â€Å"Infant Deaths Tied to Premature Births†. New York Times. 1 March, 1995. http://www.stat.berkeley.edu/users/statlabs/papers/sample.pdf.   Acquired on 22 June 2005. â€Å"Prenatal Smoking Data Book: Smoking and Reproductive Outcomes†.   www.cdc.com. Acquired on 22 June 2005. Schonfeld, Amy Rothman PhD.   â€Å"Dreading the ‘Terrible Twos'? Don't Smoke, Mothers Warned†.   13 April, 2000. http://my.webmd.com/content/article/23/1728_56585.htm. Acquired on 22 June 2005. ; ; Maternal smoking during pregnancy The Research Question would be â€Å"Are babies born from mothers who smoke during the pregnancy have greater chances of developing low-birth weight, compared to those born from mothers who do not smoke?†A study was conducted on pregnant women that belonged to a Maternity Hospital in Haguenau, France, in 1974.   248 pregnant women that smoked at least five cigarettes a day were defined as ‘cases’, and 196 pregnant women who did not smoke were defined as ‘controls’.Tests conducted on the placenta demonstrated higher incidences of defective trophoblasts in smokers compared to non-smokers.   The signs of intrauterine hypoxia, low birth-weight and low placental weight, were also higher in smokers compared to non-smokers.   However, the study was not able to establish a relationship between low birth-weight and low placental weight or intrauterine hypoxia (Shipra, A. Et al, 1977).Another study conducted demonstrated that mothers who smoked during one pregnancy had produced infants with lower birth-weight, compared to those infants born during pregnancy when they did not smoke.   This was irrespective of the birth order and other factors that affect the growth of the unborn baby in the utreus.   The reduction in the birth weight was directly associated with the number of cigarettes smoked.Mothers, who smoked less, produced infants on an average 90 grams less than normal, whereas those who smoked heavily developed babies on an average 533 grams below normal.   Smoking brought about the development of several lesions in the placental due to under-perfusion (which was usually periodic).   Besides, pregnancy during smoking was on an average 1.5 days shorter than without smoking (Naeye, R.L., 1978).A study was also able to demonstrate that women who quit smoking during pregnancy are able to reduce the several risks associated with pregnancy such as low birth-weight, preterm labor, spontaneous abortion, etc, and period of brea stfeeding also improved (Giglia, R.C. Et al, 2006).A study conducted in Johannesburg and Sweto, in 1990, demonstrated that women who smoked (6.1%) and used snuff (7.5%) during the pregnancy, produced babies who weight an average 2982 grams compared to babies of non-smokers who weighted 3148 grams, on an average.   However, environmental pollutants (such as passive smoking) did not significantly adversely affect the birth weight (Steyn, K., Et al, 2006).Another study conducted in Pelotas, Brazil, in 193, demonstrated that smoking in mothers produced babies on an average 142 grams below that of the non-smokers average.   The study also demonstrated that the risk of fetal retardation was higher with the extent of smoking.   However, the study did not find any relationship between preterm delivery and smoking (Horbta, H.L. Et al, 1997).Hence, it is obvious that birth-weight of the baby is directly affected to the extent of smoked (number of cigarettes) by the mother during pregnan cy.   Further studies need to be conducted on the exact manner in which smoking causes a reduction in the birth-weight of the child.References:Giglia, R.C., Binns, C.W., & Alfonso, H.S. (2006). Which women stop smoking during pregnancy and the effect on breastfeeding duration. BMC Public Health, 2696Z), 195.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16869976?dopt=AbstractPlusHorta, B.L., Victora, C.G., Menezes, A.M., Halpern, R., & Barros, F.C. (1997). Low birthweight, preterm births and intrauterine growth retardation in relation to maternal smoking. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol, 11(2), 140-151. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9131707?dopt=abstractplusNaeye, R. L. (1978). Effects of maternal cigarette smoking on the fetus and placenta. Br J Obstet Gynaecol, 85(10), 732-737.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/708656?dopt=abstractplusSpira, A., Philippe, E., Spira, N., Dreyfus, J., & Schwartz, D. (1977). Smoking during pregnancy and placental pathology. Biomedicine, 27(7Z), 266-270.http s://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/588667?dopt=AbstractSteyn, K., de Wet, T., Saloojee, Y., Nel, H., & Yach D. (2006). The influence of maternal cigarette smoking, snuff use and passive smoking on pregnancy outcomes: the Birth to Ten Study. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol, 20(2), 90-99.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16466427&query_hl=6&itool=pubmed_DocSum

Paying for Private School in Tough Times

We all know that private school is expensive, and its not uncommon for parents to sometimes have trouble paying private school tuition. Dr. Wendy Weiner, Principal of Conservatory Prep Senior High in Davie, Florida answers some of the questions parents have and explains their options. 1. The major breadwinner in the family has been laid off. The family has one child in tenth grade at private school. They cannot afford to pay the next four months of tuition. What do you suggest they do? This is a phenomenon we are seeing more and more. Individuals with high paying jobs being laid off. First, go through your finances and determine your budget and what you can realistically afford for the next four months. Even if it is $200 per month, rather than $1,500. The economic situation, although may seem bleak, can turn around quickly and you may be wanting to place your child back at the school. Speak with the administration regarding your financial situation. Be up front and honest. Is there a service you can provide to the school for the next four months? Schools dont want to lose their students midway through the year, especially good students. 2. If parents have savings for college, should they use these funds to pay for private school tuition? I am asked this question regularly. What is most important is if your child is thriving in a particular school during the teen years, both academically and socially, dont move. I cant emphasize this enough. The high school years are very difficult and to find an environment where your child excels is very important. I have seen students placed in a large high school, feel very lost and not involved in activities and earn poor grades. The parents dont want to move him to a private school, because the money is being saved for college. However, if the child continues to earn low grades and does not develop extra-curricula interests, paying for college wont be a problem. Granting acceptance will be. The reality is that there are more scholarships available for colleges than for private high schools. Even with the turbulent economy, there are many options including scholarships and very low-interest loans for college. 3. Arent parents obliged by contract to pay tuition and other expenses? Yes. Parents sign a contract that they agree to pay tuition for the year. The schools count on this money to meet their expenses. The school is put in a very bad predicament when teachers are hired, leases are signed for buildings, etc. and then students do not fulfill their contracts. If you are not sure if you will be able to fulfill your contract, speak with the school about your concerns. Sometimes schools may put in provisions in the contract for special circumstances. 4. Cant parents go back to the school and renegotiate their financial aid package for the current year? Definitely. Schools are businesses and need students to survive. Often you can re-negotiate a new payment plan or financial aid package. The institution would rather receive some money to cover basic costs than ​to  receive nothing. However, there are some students who drain the system with their needs. Be realistic with your expectations and your childs needs. 5. What advice can you offer parents who are looking at private school for the coming year? With all of the negative, there is a positive side. Private schools have been forced to up their game. Faculty who were not of the highest standards have been let go and programs which are of low quality have been cut from the budget. Schools know that parents have choices and are competing for each child. The schools have had to re-evaluate their own programs, curriculum and expectations. Those schools which are not able to offer a high standard of education will be closing, while those which are strong will flourish. Parents will find a higher quality of school at a fair price than they have known in the past. With budget cuts in the public schools, academic standards and expectations have been lowered, therefore making it difficult to obtain a publicly funded quality education.    Updated by Stacy Jagodowski

Financial Crisis And The Global Financial System - 858 Words

Financial crises have plagued the international financial system for many decades. Indeed, they are becoming quite common lately. This quasi-permanent and problematic aspect of the global financial system can be highlighted by the problems regarding the sovereign debts of Asia, Africa, Central Europe, Latin America and the Middle East in the 80s, the 1987 stock market crash, the European foreign exchange crisis in 92-93, the bond market shock in 94, the financial problems that affected Asia, Brazil, Mexico and Russia in the mid-1990s , and more recently with the 2008 global financial collapse. This paper addresses the need for a globalized approach aimed at establishing a well-crafted legal framework capable of dealing with crises within the banking system, hence being able to protect the entire economy of the detrimental cascading effect that those instabilities can create. It compares the approach taken by the UK against the efforts being directed by the G-20 nations. It sheds ligh t on the perspective that several important areas, such as systemic risk, consumer protection, market integrity, macro-prudential and micro-regulatory policies, as well as international competitive equality and shadow banking need to be scrutinized if we are to establish an effective international legal structure. OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT REGULATORY APPROACH 1) The UK Approach During the last financial crisis, weaknesses were exposed within the UK’s system. The tripartite regulatory framework,Show MoreRelatedGlobal Financial Crisis : A Social And Economic System Driven By Network Technologies3327 Words   |  14 PagesRachel Botsman, defines collaborative consumption as â€Å"a social and economic system driven by network technologies that enable the sharing and exchange of assets from spaces to skills to cars in ways and on a scale never possible before† (2012). 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