International Trade and Investment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

International Trade and Investment - Essay Example The second part is the discusion about the possible privatization of ports and its effect in port charges and other pricing. The last part is the evaluation of two methods of depreciation used by these shipping companies. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has become an increasingly important part of the international economy. Due to the high mobility of the factors of production in the shipping industry, shipping investments in foreign subsidiaries do not necessarily imply strong links between the investment and the home and host countries. It is thus debatable whether the term Foreign Direct Investment should be utilised in the same manner as for other sectors. In a recent article last May 4th in South Africa, a current law implemented has a great impact in the sea freighting business, especially in the issue of massive maritime claims. A lot of shippers are foregoing their deposits due to the redelivery of hand back ships on charter. This critical situation that they are in can affect the acquisition of supply and meeting their foreign demands. The increasing inability in making use of the popular New York Rule B attachment procedure is helping South Africa regain its reputation as a jurisdiction in which shippers can seek assistance in obtaining security for their claims, or having obtained a judgment or arbitration award in their favour. This tangible mechanism in the shipping industry is making an advantage to shippers in their returns of investments due to substantial freight costs set from this procedure. This situation is a prelude of the sea port's privatization which greatly affects costs in shipping companies. Thus, increasing port charges for these companies. More than 50 countries privatised their port systems between 1991 and 1998. The common privatisation program includes the transfer of stevedoring, yard handling, pilotage, line handling and gate security to private port operators, while ownership and control of basic infrastructure remains with a public or quasi-public port authority. Also in a recent article last May 06, 2009, the Cape Town port terminals have performed well in the annual NOSA (National Occupational Safety Association) audits conducted in facilities operated by Transnet Port Terminals, taking their place alongside the sterling efforts of other state-owned

Appreciation of works of art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Appreciation of works of art - Essay Example Asymmetry is evident in the painting because there is an imbalance of the number of people on the right and on the left sides. On the right side of the painting where a group of people are gathered, the space from which they are staying creates a sense of depth to the viewer through the use of hatching. Looking at the portrait, one could almost understand that behind the opening or door from which the people are standing; there is a deeper space wherein more people could be present, or at least it is a path where the people entered through. The lines that are used also create distance. From the viewer’s point of view, since there are no borders used on the edges of the painting, there is a distance created wherein one can see a front and a back side. The lines at the back of the three people on the center make the setting look narrower at the back, suggesting that it is farther than where the three characters are located similar to how things are seen in reality. For instance, when something is near a viewer, it is big and clear enough for someone to see the details. However, as the viewer stays farther away from the object, it becomes smaller and can only be determined largely by its shape. This is what happens in the painting. Since the back wall is shown to be bounded by width and height in contrast to the open space on the ‘front’ of the people, it appears to be farther away from the viewer and therefore, creates distance. Moreover, Pilate is shown to be nearer the viewer than the other characters. This is done by completing every detail that shows the man washing his hands, seated on his chair with all his raiment and other uncovered part of his body visible. In contrast, the man pouring the water on the basin seems to be a little farther behind Pilate because some parts of his body are covered such as his leg. The basin in front of him covers his left leg so that the illustration looks realistic creating an illusion that makes him appe ar to be located a bit farther than the main character. The same is true with the man standing behind with a green robe. His feet are not shown, suggesting that they are covered by the man seated on front of him. Consequently, space is created as well because of the distance that is portrayed by the lines mentioned earlier. Pilate seems to be sitting right in the middle of the room because there is a space left on the front which seems to be bare. This is effectively done by placing the chair of Pilate a few squares away from the bare floor. In addition, the distances between the figures such as between Pilate and the people show the spaces created in the picture as well. The placing of the people also creates the illusion of space in a similar fashion as described above. For instance, the hands of the two men behind the man in green robe on the right side of the painting show a sense of distance and space. The hand of the man in red turban does not only seem to be father behind the hand of the man in front of him but it also creates some space between them. Symbolism could also perhaps be evident in the painting. For instance, it is known that Pilate did not find any crime committed by Jesus so that he did not like to crucify him. However, since the people are becoming wild in their demands, he had to make a decision that he was not really satisfied about. To keep the peace and order of the community, he had

Online vs. Traditional Education Essay Example for Free

Online vs. Traditional Education Essay Have you ever had the opportunity to take online classes? Have you even heard of online classes? If you haven’t, you are missing out on a great opportunity. Online education is rapidly becoming a popular alternative to traditional education. It is offering more flexibility for students and providing individuals with better opportunities for postsecondary education. Even though traditional education has been the only form of education for hundreds of years, online education offers a new and improved style of learning. When people think of education, they think of a classroom filled with desks, paper, books, and other students. After all, this is how humans have been taught for generations. This is an example of traditional education. Traditional education is when students attend a school and are taught in a formal classroom setting. There is an instructor that teaches the class by giving demonstrations or by lecturing. It allows the students to have face-to-face interaction with the instructor or their fellow students. Traditional education has never been very flexible. There are scheduled times for class and working around that schedule can prove to be difficult. Often times, life events can conflict with the class schedule. This can cause students to miss class and fall behind in their work. While traditional education is not very flexible, online education is. Online education is the use of technology to share educational information and to teach students. It often only requires a computer and an Internet connection. The classroom setting of an online education can be anywhere. You can work from the comfort of your own home or while you are at the library. As long as you have access to a computer with Internet, you can go to school. In many situations, you can also complete the school work on your own time. That way if something comes up at the last minute, you still have the ability to complete your school work without losing points. It also allows students to continue to work at their job while taking classes. This is a very nice convenience to have, especially for individuals who have a family or have a job to work around. Online education can also be much cheaper than traditional education. It is not uncommon for tuition at online schools to be lower than that of a traditional school, although this is certainly not true of all online programs. In addition, costs associated with things like commuting, classroom supplies, and housing are not relevant in an online learning environment. Some programs may not require students to purchase textbooks or provide the material online. Usually, students can download all of their materials needed for class, such as assignments or textbooks, straight from their online classroom. The lower costs of an online education are a key factor for its rising popularity. Another large factor to consider when choosing a form of education is the availability of resources. Most traditional schools have a vast amount of resources. They often have at least one library, science labs, computer labs, and other resources that make the learning experience easier. The only problem is that some of these resources have limited access. They are only open during certain hours and may even be closed some days. This reduces a student’s flexibility and may affect their ability to complete work on time. Online education, on the other hand, offers resources that are available 24/7. The resources are all online, so there is no need to have a closing time or open hours. They are at the students’ fingertips and only require the click of a button. They may even offer more resources than you would find at a traditional school. Resources such as a free plagiarism checker or a grammar review are usually not available to students in a traditional classroom setting. These resources can give online students the upper hand in education and will allow them to perform at a higher level. The biggest difference between traditional and online education is the method of communication. In traditional education, everything is face-to-face. The students interact with the teacher directly and the discussion occurs only in the classroom. This face-to-face interaction allows the students to build social skills and form relationships with other classmates. The only downfall there is with this method is that once the class is over, it can be difficult to contact the instructor if a question or problem would arise. In online education, communication is much different. Students can be thousands of miles apart and live in different time zones. Therefore there cannot be any face-to-face interaction. Instead, online education relies on instant messaging through a forum. It is very similar to a chat room. This is where the majority of the communication takes place. Students can communicate with the instructor and with each other by posting messages and waiting for a reply. This makes it very easy to get a hold of other people, no matter the time of day. The downfall with this method is that sometimes it can take a while before you receive a reply. However, online courses require a certain amount of participation so the question will be addressed before too long. Many people question the amount of work that online students do. Some even say that online colleges should not be as credible as traditional universities. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Online education shares many of the same requirements expected by traditional schools. Online students write research papers, have to create projects, and take finals just like any other student. In fact, many online schools have traditional campuses and have the same requirements for both campus and online students. It does not matter which form of education an individual chooses. They will be required to do the same amount of work in order to attain their degree. For years I thought traditional education was the only way to go. I was a firm believer in the traditional ways and never thought that you could get the same education by sitting on a computer. Now that I have experience in both forms of education, I can see why so many people are switching to online programs. The flexibility of online classes and the vast amount of resources make it more user friendly than ever before. The popularity of online education is on the rise and will continue to increase as more people switch from the traditional ways.

Consumer Loyalty in UK Sports Leisure Industry

Consumer Loyalty in UK Sports Leisure Industry The sports leisure industry in UK is booming with possibilities. The consumer spending pattern across the entertainment hubs such as online casinos, outdoor sports and other holiday sports has been growing as a sweeter spot for both consumers as well as service providers (Skills Active, 2009). The core purpose of this study is to analyze through research findings if the consumers are loyal to a type of leisure sport based on socio-economical factors such as income, education and occupation etc. The sport and recreation industry as a whole employs around 621,000 people. This is spread across the public, private and voluntary sectors. (Skills Active, 2009) In such a highly competitive environment, customer loyalty has become an increasingly effective means for securing a firms profitability (Reinartz Kumar, 2002). Consumer loyalty refers to a customers repeated same brand purchase within a given category, based on a favorable attitude toward and preference for the particular brand. Empirical findings have revealed that increased market share and decreasing price sensitivity among customers are particular contributions of customer loyalty to a firms profitability (Chaudhuri Holbrook, 2001). The establishment and maintenance of a loyal customer base should, therefore, be (and in many cases already is) a key objective for service providers, since it promotes a sustainable competitive position in the market place. Customer loyalty rests in particular on the brand, which plays an important role in customer retention. A brand can be described as a cluster of functional and emotional values that promises a unique and welcome experience (de Chernatony et al., 2006, p. 819) for its customers. By creating unique associations and feelings among customers that are directly and exclusively connected to the given, the brand helps service providers differentiate themselves from their competitors. In addition to its differentiation function, the brand serves as a potential relationship partner for the customer. The customer brand relationship can evolve and develop through continuous positive interactions between the customer and the brand (Grà ¶nroos, 2007, p. 331) and provides them with the opportunity to offer their customers benefits that go beyond the core service (cf. Hennig Thurau et al., 2002, p. 234). In such relationships, customers perceive a brand as a legitimate partner in the relationship ( Sweeney Chew, 2000;). Customers construct relationships with brands so that they provide and add meaning and value to their lives (Fournier Yao, 1997). This value is generated by the relational benefits resulting from the relationship with the brand as perceived by the customer (cf. Aaker, 2002, p. 95). Ultimately, the customer decides whether the relationship with a given brand generates value or not. Hence, it is fundamental for the establishment of customer loyalty to understand what potential and existing customers expect from their relationship with the brand. However, since customers personalities and lifestyles differ, as does their evaluation of the relationship with the brand, customer characteristics must also be taken into account. With the objective of fostering customer loyalty, sports leisure service providers in UK introduced loyalty schemes. These so called club memberships, sports complex memberships and other hospitality tie ups through credit card providers etc (Plimmer, 2006). While these programs attract a great number of leisure sports customers, skepticism has been expressed whether such programs in fact lead to true customer loyalty based on a positive attitude toward and preference for the brand. Critics assert that the reason why customers repurchase a service again from the service provider rests alone on the rational and economic benefits the hospitality provider offers (Dowling Uncles, 1997). In the past two decades interest in service quality has strengthened as research has shown how improvements in quality can lead to improved organizational performance and competitiveness (Douglas Connor, 2003). To evaluate how well their companies are meeting customer needs, service managers often use measurements of service quality and customer satisfaction (Dabholkar, 1995). Therefore, service quality and customer satisfaction have received much attention from service marketers and academic researchers (Spreng MacKoy, 1996). In addition, Taylor (1997) has noted that the two constructs (service quality and customer satisfaction) have became very important for marketing theory and practice, since many researchers have indicated their relationship to desirable consumer outcomes (Spreng MacKoy, 1996). The majority of services, including sport services, have helped create more demanding and discerning customers. Increasing expectations of sport services have led managers to become customer focused, which in turn has resulted in the introduction of customer care initiatives in order to improve the quality of service provision (Guest Taylor, 1999). A sport service provider can reduce the detrimental impact of effective factors by first ensuring that its customers are as highly satisfied with its services as possible (Javadein, 2008 Sports Leisure Service Loyalty). Sport organizations are better positioned to reap the positive outcomes associated with having a largely satisfied customer base if they have an understanding of those factors that contribute to their customers satisfaction because meeting customers expectations for key service quality attributes should lead to satisfied customers who, in turn, will remain loyal to the service and recommend it to other potential customers (Javadein, 2008 Sports Leisure Service Loyalty). In summary, sport managers should be interested in understanding what it is about their service that specifically influences their customers behavior. They need know that, what specific aspects of their services influence customers in terms of their satisfaction and their perceptions of service quality, which, in turn, lead to behavioral loyalty. Unfortunately, the work that integrates the role of service loyalty within the context of service marketing variables like service quality and customer satisfaction has received less attention. There have been very limited attempts to investigate the relationship between service quality and loyalty in the context of sport (Javadein, 2008 Sports Leisure Service Loyalty). In this research, it is examined if their exists loyalty amongst the consumers for sports leisure services based on their strata segmentation based on their education, income, occupational status and segregated residence. PROBLEM DISCUSSION Leisure sport seekers can get to indulge in sporting and recreation in schools, offices, and while on vacation and at other times too (Mintel, 2009). Briefly the following avenues for leisure sports can be availed by one and all in UK: Outdoor Sports education Outdoor pursuits Area, club and duty management in a range of venues, including casinos and bingo halls; Online games Adventure tourism Managers of sport and leisure organizations are faced with rising customer expectations of their services. As a result of increasing competition, a greater awareness of consumer rights and improvements in service quality, customer expectations of sport and leisure services are in danger of spiraling out of control. Indeed, the ability to manage customer expectations to ensure that they remain appropriate and realistic is a skill that has become increasingly essential for those who manage the industry. Reference Changing social trends will require more effective and efficient management. The population is getting progressively older, couples are having children later, society is becoming more litigious, there is a trend towards sports, home-based leisure is becoming increasingly important and society is becoming globalised. This will have implications for programming, marketing, image and competitive edge. These changes will all require better management (Mintel, 2009). The concept of customer loyalty in leisure sports industry of UK has been not studied properly. The principles of marginality have not been put to use in trying to understand if there exists customer loyalty in this space based on the number of hours spent in the sports leisure activities, types of activities and other such parameters. And also at this point of time it is unknown if there exists some differences between consumers preferences based on their social class segmentation such as income wise, education wise or occupational status wise etc. Reference OVERALL PURPOSE RESEARCH QUESTIONS Based upon the problem discussion the core purpose of the research is to provide an insight on the customer loyalty in sports leisure industry of UK based on parameters such as social class segmentation, consumer leisure behavior towards such options, types of leisure trips selected and to measure or explain these differences through marginality principles. The following are the key Research Questions that will be addressed in the research work: Q1. Are there any significant differences in the leisure behavior of UK population? Q2. Can such differences be measured using Marginality Principles? Q3. What would be the key recommendations for boosting Customer Loyalty in sports leisure industry of UK? LITERATURE REVIEW In this chapter the research work and related entities are discussed at length viz. pertaining to sports leisure industry as a whole, the social classes in UK and other relevant factors which affect a consumers behavior towards the offered services. A conceptual framework for the research would also be presented in this chapter. ELEMENTS IN SPORTS LEISURE With high levels of investment planned by government and employers, mainly in response to the successful London Olympics bid for 2012, there are more graduate career opportunities in the sport and leisure industry than ever before.  The introduction of the Smoking Ban Law in 2006-2007 has had a big impact on the casino and bingo industry.   While many bingo clubs have suffered from falling revenue, there has been a big increase in the number of players visiting online bingo sites and as a result many new job opportunities now exist in the online gaming industry (Mintel report, 2009).  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Types of Leisure Sports There is a growing awareness and understanding of health and fitness activities in the UK. More people than ever are actively taking part in sport and leisure as a hobby and this is also fuelling a growth in the number of available jobs. The major types of sports leisure areas include Health and fitness, Club and duty management, Sales and marketing, Instructing and coaching, Consultancy work based on Group Policy referrals usually with particular sections of the population, e.g. those with diabetes, arthritis, Lifestyle consultancy and nutrition opportunities are increasing as the sector embraces the concept of wellness, Sport development performance, administration and facility management (Lucie Johnston, Sports Leisure January 2010). For those who are employed in sports leisure industry the working hours can be long.   Employees are often required to work shift patterns and weekends. Typical salaries after training range from  £20,000 to  £35,000 (Graduate Recruitm ent Bureau, 2009). Manpower Overview Just over half of the sport and recreation workforce in England is female. It has a higher proportion of young people (16-24) than the workforce across England as a whole (SkillsActive Workforce and Skills Summary 2009). 95% of employees are currently from white ethnic groups, compared to 91% in the whole economy (SkillsActive Workforce and Skills Summary 2009). The sport and recreation industry as a whole employs around 621,000 people. This is spread across the public, private and voluntary sectors. (SkillsActive, 2009) There are a huge number of volunteers working in sport and recreation.   The latest Active People survey estimates that two million people in the UK commit at least one hour a week to volunteering in sport. There are currently just over 140 casinos, employing 14,000 people in the UK. There are 17,000 employees in the bingo club industry and 57,000 in the betting industry. The Gambling Act 2005 permitted online casinos to operate from the UK and consequently there are now over 320 online operators of betting and gambling sites employing almost 8,000 people. (The Gambling Commission Annual Report 2008/2009). There are 3,000 private health clubs and over 2,500 leisure centers in the UK, which together employ over 45,000 staff.   An additional 800 clubs are expected to open over the next few years in this growth in dustry (Skills Active, 2009). CUSTOMER SEGMENTATION In order to define distinct target groups, customers are typically segmented along demographic, psychographic, and/or behavioral dimensions (cf. Peter Olson, 2008, pp. 370; Solomon et al., 2006, p. 9). The sports leisure seekers market is segmented as follows: The upper class in Britain is statistically very small and consists of the peerage, gentry, and landowners. These people were traditionally the wealthiest in the land having inherited money and position. Typically they would speak with Received Pronunciation accent and have been educated at schools. Reference The upper middle class in Britain typically consists of professionals with tertiary education, speaking Received Pronunciation. The higher upper middle class are traditionally educated at more prestigious Public Schools. The lower section of the upper middle class tends to occupy less prestigious public schools. Middle class in Britain typically consists of bourgeois with degrees from the less prestigious universities, or possibly no tertiary education. They would speak in accents which are provincial as well as Estuary English . They would be engaged in owning and running local businesses; working for larger corporations as junior and middle management; teaching, social work an d engineering, accountancy, information technology, nursing and other skilled jobs. Reference Nouveau riche, are people from poorer backgrounds who have made money themselves, primarily in business, middle-class professions, or entertainment. They may retain the mannerisms of their original social group or may imitate the behavior of the traditional upper class by, for instance, sending their children to public school or taking elocution lessons, but often in a way that is seen as gauche by the real upper class and middle classes (satirized as Mr Nouveau Richards by Jilly Cooper). This group is characterized by ostentatious displays of conspicuous consumption. Premier League Footballers are typical of this group. Spiralist Meritocracy as another group was identified by Jilly Cooper in her book Class as people from working class or lower middle class backgrounds who gained an education at grammar school and university and have subsequently obtained professional or managerial jobs wit hin companies or government (Wikipedia, Social Structure of United Kingdom). Mondeo Man group are of people employed in the private sector in a salesman or entry level management position that drives a company car such as a Ford Mondeo. These people would have had limited education and cultural aspirations but are keen to move up in the world .The lower middle class in Britain consists of people in white collar jobs living in less prosperous suburbs. They would typically not have had a university education, at least before the 1980s expansion in higher education. Reference These people would speak in local accents, although relatively mild. Skilled working class in UK represents people who would be in skilled blue collar jobs, traditionally in industry but in recent decades showing entrepreneurial development as the stereotypical white van man, or self employed contractors. Reference Unskilled working class in UK represents people who would work in blue collar jobs with low incomes. They would typically have left school as soon as legally permissible and not value education (Wikipedia, Social Structure of United Kingdom). As per Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), 2007 the socio economic graph as per these roles with the median salary clearly depicts the relationship between occupational and age as variables against the income levels (refer Appendix I). CONSUMER LOYALTY Defining Consumer Loyalty As the comparison of the different definitions of customer loyalty illustrates, two key dimensions exist: a behavioral (cf. Cunningham, 1956) and an attitudinal (cf. Day, 1969) dimension. Both are described below in more detail and an equal consideration of both dimensions is advocated, if true loyalty is to be achieved. Behavioral loyalty refers to the consumers actual behavior of repurchasing specific bran within a given category over time (e.g., Day, 1969; Chaudhuri Holbrook, 2002). Kumar and Shah (2004, p. 318) describe behavioral loyalty as loyalty of a consumer as observed from the customers purchase behavior. This explicitly means that the consumer repeatedly chooses the same brand when he needs a specific product or service. This behavior may be a result of a true preference for the brand. However, repeat purchases of the same brand may also be attributable to mere convenience, habit, or because the barriers to change (i.e. the switching barriers) are too high. While proponents of the one dimensional construct of consumer loyalty argue that attitude is irrelevant in determining loyalty toward a brand and consider the debate on the notion of true loyalty a waste of time (Sharp et al., 2002) opponents claim that behavioral definitions of consumer loyalty are inadequate for explaining how and w hy customers are loyal to a specific brand, and call for an analysis of the individuals dispositional basis for repeated purchase (Dick Basu, 1994, p. 100). Zins (2001, p. 270) further criticizes that the observation of behavioral loyalty alone does not leave room to draw any substantiated conclusions about customers future actions. Only measuring behavioral loyalty actually overestimates the share of true loyalty, since it does not account for those customers who buy a brand simply because no other alternative is available or because a particular brand is offering a special promotion (Day, 1969). Prior research has demonstrated a direct relationship between reasons for liking a particular sport team and loyalty. The current study replicates and extends this line of inquiry by examining the mediating role of attachment, a process by which an individual moves from merely liking a team (attraction) to becoming loyal to a team (allegiance). Data (Collegiate N = 194; Collegiate and Professional N = 402, Favorite Sport Team N = 808) were collected to examine 13 benefits and attributes associated with liking a sport team, 3 attitude formation properties, and allegiance. A three stage test of mediation using MLR revealed that attachment mediated the relationship between allegiance and Vicarious Achievement, Nostalgia, Star Player, Escape, Success, and Peer Group Acceptance. The results indicated that allegiance is the outcome of a developmental process by which an individual places greater symbolic value on, has stronger emotional reactions, and has more functional knowledge in relat ion to attractive benefits and attributes associated with a sport team (Frank Daniel C., 2006 Loyalty, Attachment, Sport Consumers, Attitude Development, Participation). Low attitudinal loyalty combined with low behavioral loyalty indicates an absence of loyalty (cf. Dick Basu, 1994, p. 101). Day (1969, p. 30) categorizes those customers as spuriously loyal who exhibit high repeat purchase behavior, but lack any attachment to the brand and can easily be captured by another brand offering a better deal. Latent loyalty, in contrast, is reflected by high attitudinal loyalty combined with low repeat purchase. True loyalty, firms preferred condition, can be conceptualized as an attitudeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ based behavioral loyalty toward the given brand (see Kim et al., 2008, pp. 99à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ 100). A direct relationship between customer loyalty and relationship marketing has been proposed by a number of authors. Webster (1994, p. 26) claims that Customer loyalty has meaning only within the context of relationship marketing. Similarly, Aaker (2002, p. 23) proposes that one approach for enhancing consumer loyalty is the development or strengthening of customers relationship with the brand, which constitutes the basic objective of relationship marketing. Relationship marketing thus serves as a concept that contributes to the understanding of the factors that drive customer loyalty. The conceptualization of the loyalty construct has evolved over the years. In todays changing global environment, every organization is searching for innovative ways to achieve competitive advantage, increase customer loyalty, and improve efficiency without sacrificing quality of service (Javalgi Moberg, 1997). Service loyalty, with its final effect on repurchasing by customers, is perhaps one of the most important constructs in service marketing. Indeed, loyal customers that indulge in repeat purchases are the base of any business (Caruana, 2002). Some have tagged customer loyalty as a key source of competitive advantage (Bharadwaj et al., 1993) and a key to firm survival and growth (Reichheld, 1996). However, how loyalty has been conceptualized and measured has varied considerably across studies, resulting in calls for more research into the fundamental meaning of loyalty (Oliver, 1999). Three conceptual viewpoints have been suggested to define customer loyalty: the behavioral perspective, the attitudinal perspective and the composite perspective (Bowen Chen, 2001; Zins, 2001). The behavioral perspective, purchase loyalty, strictly looks at repeat purchase behavior and is based on the customers purchase history. Here, the emphasis is on past -rather than on future actions. Moreover, no other loyal behavioral actions such as price tolerance, word of mouth, or complaint behavior can be interpreted. Concentrating on the behavioral aspect of loyalty could overestimate true loyalty. The attitudinal perspective, in contrast, allows gain in additional understanding of loyal behavior (Zins, 2001). Here, customer loyalty is approached as an attitudinal construct. Attitude denotes the degree to which a consumers tendency towards a service is favorably inclined. This inclination is reflected by activities such as the customers recommending service providers to other consumers or their commitment to repatronize a preferred service provider (Gremler Brown, 1996). Based on a favorable attitude towards a service provider, customers may improve preference loyalty (De Ruyter et al., 1998). Lastly, the composite perspective combines attitudinal and behavioral definitions of loyalty. The composite perspective might be considered as an alternative to affective loyalty since using both attitude and behavior in a loyalty definition disputably increases the predicting power of loyalty (Pritchard Howard, 1997). In the present study loyal are defined those customers who hold favorable attitudes toward an organization, recommend the organization to other consumers and exhibit repurchase behavior Consumer Loyalty in Sports Consumer loyalty is of great value to recreational sport agencies in terms of their effectiveness and success. In recent decades, students in the field of recreation and leisure have paid growing attention to the phenomenon of customer loyalty. This paper reviews how exploration of consumer loyalty began, especially in the field of recreation and leisure. There have been three stages of evolution: the one-dimensional approach, two-dimensional approach, and multidimensional approach. The latter two developed out of critiques of an established approach. The authors find the multidimensional approach to be the most comprehensive, and thus the most promising, perspective for future research on consumer loyalty in the field of recreation and leisure (Tian-Shiang Kuo Evolution of Scholars Approach to Studying Consumer Loyalty in Recreational Sport and Fitness Business). Because it is much cheaper to serve loyal customers and easier to maintain their support, customer loyalty is of great value to organizations (Seybold, 2001). Rosenberg and Czepiel, whom Park and Kim cite (2000), claim that attracting a new customer costs 6 times more than retaining an existing customer. To a great extent, the success of a recreational sport and fitness business depends on how the business manages customers loyalty (Backman Crompton, 1991a, 1991b). As Park and Kim note, consumer loyalty is embodied not only in economic transactions with a business but more broadly in general support for the organization (Park Kim, 2000). Glimpsing the importance of consumer loyalty to sport-related businesses, in recent decades scholars in the field of recreation and leisure have paid growing attention to the phenomenon of customer loyalty (Gahwiler Havitz, 1995; Howard, Edginton, Selin, 1988; Park Kim, 2000). What has been the result of this increased focus? For one thing, a gradual evolution in how researchers approach the phenomenon of customer loyalty has resulted. Three stages can be roughly identified. In the very beginning, most investigators focused on only one dimension of consumer loyalty, either the behavioral or attitudinal dimension. Next, as a result of criticism of this initial research model, models that approached both behavioral and attitudinal dimensions of customer loyalty were developed. Finally, the latest studies of customer loyalty incorporate multiple attitudinal or psychological facets. This has led to a deeper, better-integrated understanding of loyalty. The following describes in more d etail each evolutionary stage of the historical development of customer loyalty research. Behavioral Approaches The majority of early studies of consumer loyalty looked only at its behavioral dimension. A customer was viewed as loyal to a product or service if he or she demonstrated consistent purchase of one brand over time (Backman Crompton, 1991b). According to Prichard and colleagues, one-dimensional behavioral approaches were classified in four groups by Jacoby and Chestnut (Prichard, Howard, Havitz, 1992, pp.156-157). The first group comprises researchers who located loyalty in the customers purchasing sequence, for example George N. Brown. The second group comprises researchers such as Ross M. Cunningham who defined loyalty on the basis of the proportion of the customers purchases that featured the brand in question. Jacoby and Chestnuts third group includes the scholars who applied probability models to analyze consumers purchasing behavior. To this group belongs Ronald E. Frank, who in the early 1960s investigated repeat-purchase probabilities using a simple chance model. The fourth and last of Jacoby and Chestnuts group integrated several behavioral variables for generating definition of customer loyalty (Prichard et al., 1992). Burford, Enis, and Paul (1971), as an example, put forward an index combining three behavioral measures of customer loyalty: proportion of resources spent on brand or store, amount allocated to switching, and the number of alternative brands or stores. While operationalizing such behavioral approaches is easy enough, at the same time they may exhibit fatal weaknesses as theoretical frameworks upon which to hang studies of consumer loyalty. Beginning in the late 1960s, some consumer loyalty researchers began to criticize behavioral approaches to their task (Howard et al., 1988, p. 42). They pointed out, for example, that because the associated measures relied on overt, observable behaviors, behavioral conceptualizations of consumer loyalty were doomed to such error as the classification of particular consumers as loyal in one study and non-loyal in the next (Backman Crompton, 1991b, p. 206). Moreover, failure to identify relations between loyalties measured by different patterns of use brought many researchers to the conclusion that brand loyalty encompassed more than repeat use (Backman Crompton, 1991b, p. 206). Attitudinal Approaches Conceptually, behavioral models could not, Day noted (1969), discriminate between true or intentional loyalty and spurious loyalty (Backman Crompton, 1991b; Prichard et al., 1992). Day (1969) and Jacoby (1971) proposed an attitudinal conceptualization of customer loyalty in order to better understand it. According to Jacoby (as cited in Prichard et al., 1992), a customer who shows brand loyalty by implication repeat[s] purchase based on cognitive, affective, evaluative and predispositional factors: the classical primary components of an attitude (1971, p. 26). Prichard et al. (1992) also briefly review those early researchers who looked at psychological aspects of consumer loyalty as well as behavioral. Guest, Monroe, and Guiltinan; Bennett and Kassarijia; and Jain, Pinson, and Malhotra all made an effort to study consumers attitudes or intentions. Just like approaches focused one-dimensionally on consumer behavior, however, approaches focused one-dimensionally on attitudinal loyalty had limitations. According to Prichard et al., the early studies of the attitudinal components in consumer loyalty, when they were reviewed by loyalty theorists, were often found to lack adequate theoretical conceptualization. A result of this was a multitude of measures that confounded research. Examination of the theoretical and empirical rigor underlying the development of various attitudinal measures raised certain questions about construct validity (Prichard et al., 1992). Overall, then, early definitions of customer loyalty as solely a behavioral construct or solely an attitudinal construct could be accused not only of superficiality but also of insufficiency. In time, a two-dimensional approach would replace these flawed perspectives. Reference Consumer Loyalty in Leisure Leisure activities could be said to be more important than ever before. International comparisons show that the British work long hours, and lengthy commuting times only add to the burden. It is increasingly likely that both partners in a household work full time, and household duties such as food shopping and cleaning must be shared, placing a premium on the time available for more enjoyable activities. Reference There is also the increasing problem of sedentary occupations, with many people spending their working day sitting in front of a computer terminal or talking on the telephone. This produces a demand for active leisure or recreation, but developments in technology mean that there is also an increasing temptation to sit in front of the television or to spend hours on the Internet or playing video games (Research Markets UK Leisure and Recreation Market Review 2002). The Most Popular Leisure Activities The survey, which was carried out on a nationally representative sample of 1,012 adults in August 2002, simply asked people about the leisure activities they considered `enjoyable, either in the evening or at the weekend. Unsurprisingly, the leisure market is dominated by in-home activities, with 92% of people content to spend their evenings or weekends watching television (or, with some more initiative, watching bought or hired videos). Listening to music or the radio at home is another popular choice (80%). Even when they wish to socialize, most people now think first of entertaining friends or family at home (79%), rather than going out. Venues providing entertainment and cultural services have to work harder than ever to persuade people out of their comfortable homes. Most consumers (77%) are content to go out for a meal as their main leisure experience outside the home (Research Ma

Yes Virginia, Dragons Do Exisit :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Yes Virginia, Dragons Do Exisit       Dragon--even mentioning the word strikes terror into the very center of the hearts of some men. But to others, a dragon is nothing more than a make-believe fairy tale, or a mystical monster. Recently, startling, new, scientific discoveries have shed light on this controversial subject. Dragons, Do They Really Exist? This study, compiled of shocking new facts, seems to prove that the animals known as the dragon, does, in fact, exist.    Though the dragon may be large (approximately 45 feet long, 10 feet wide), it is extremely light and aerodynamic. The dragon's wings are the longest limbs on the body; measuring approximately 25 feet in diameter (each wing). The wings are coated with a transparent covering that absorbs the humidity in the air, and keeps moist. The largest muscle in the dragon's body is directly connected to the wings. The muscle, in fact, divides into five large muscles, measuring 8 feet in diameter. The dragon weighs only 400 pounds. Its muscles carry the most weight, and the wings are second to the heaviest part in the body. The rest of the body is extremely light and brittle; the bones are hollow and light. The nervous system is extremely complex and sensitive, detecting any movement from up to 10 feet away. The Dragon's eyesight, however, is extremely poor. The clearest it envisions any object is a hazy blur. Its digestive system is primitive. The liver, being the most complex digestive organ, is the largest organ--weighing over 215 pounds. The reason for the complexity of its life cycle is because of the Dragon's enormous intake. While feeding, the dragon may ingest non-nutritious objects such as houses or highways. These unneeded colonies are quickly detected by the liver and pulled out of the digestion process.    Reproduction in Dragons is extremely complex and painstaking, the Dragon being very picky and wary of its mate. Its mate must also be the same family and weight, or the process will be flawed and the young will die. Every 1 in 50 dragons produce one healthy egg.    Dragons only live in extremely windy areas because of the lift they need for their bodies.

Colonialism, Imperialism, and Greed in Conrads Heart of Darkness :: Heart Darkness essays

Colonization and Greed in Heart of Darkness The book Heart of Darkness written by Joseph Conrad is a masterpiece in literature. Conrad obtained many of his perspectives for his work from `hands on experience' and also from his harsh background and childhood. When Conrad was still a child his father was exiled to Siberia because of suspicions on plotting against the Russian government. After his mother died, Conrad's father sent him to his mother's brother in Krakow for education purposes. This was the last time Conrad ever saw his father. After Conrad had turned seventeen, he traveled to Marseilles and spent the next twenty years on an English ship, (eight years later he became a British subject). Conrad began writing his first novel Almayer's Folly in 1889, and began to actively search for a way to fulfill his dream of traveling to the Congo. In 1890 Conrad took command of a steamship in the Belgian Congo. Conrad's experiences in the Congo paved the way and the outline for his brilliant novel Heart of Darkness. Du ring his time in the Congo, Conrad's health took a devastating blow so he returned to England to recover. Returning to sea twice before finishing Almayer's Folly in 1894 Conrad wrote several other books including one about Marlow which was called Youth (a narrative before beginning Heart of Darkness in 1898). Conrad wrote most of his other major works Lord Jim (which features Marlow), Nostramo and The Secret Agent as well as several collaborations with Ford Madox during the following two decades. Conrad died in 1924 but will always have and hold a place in the hearts of many readers. In his book Heart of Darkness Conrad gives the reader an understanding of how the Africans were mistreated during colonization. The book also pinpoints many cases that show the greed and selfishness of imperialism. The evilness of how the Africans were treated is critiqued well in a quote "the men who work for the company describe what they do as `trade' and their treatment of native Africans is part of a benevolent project of civilization" (http://www.sparknotes.com; Heart of Darkness). This is a very true statement which shows that the way the colonizers treated the African was more like slaves rather than people. Colonialism, Imperialism, and Greed in Conrad's Heart of Darkness :: Heart Darkness essays Colonization and Greed in Heart of Darkness The book Heart of Darkness written by Joseph Conrad is a masterpiece in literature. Conrad obtained many of his perspectives for his work from `hands on experience' and also from his harsh background and childhood. When Conrad was still a child his father was exiled to Siberia because of suspicions on plotting against the Russian government. After his mother died, Conrad's father sent him to his mother's brother in Krakow for education purposes. This was the last time Conrad ever saw his father. After Conrad had turned seventeen, he traveled to Marseilles and spent the next twenty years on an English ship, (eight years later he became a British subject). Conrad began writing his first novel Almayer's Folly in 1889, and began to actively search for a way to fulfill his dream of traveling to the Congo. In 1890 Conrad took command of a steamship in the Belgian Congo. Conrad's experiences in the Congo paved the way and the outline for his brilliant novel Heart of Darkness. Du ring his time in the Congo, Conrad's health took a devastating blow so he returned to England to recover. Returning to sea twice before finishing Almayer's Folly in 1894 Conrad wrote several other books including one about Marlow which was called Youth (a narrative before beginning Heart of Darkness in 1898). Conrad wrote most of his other major works Lord Jim (which features Marlow), Nostramo and The Secret Agent as well as several collaborations with Ford Madox during the following two decades. Conrad died in 1924 but will always have and hold a place in the hearts of many readers. In his book Heart of Darkness Conrad gives the reader an understanding of how the Africans were mistreated during colonization. The book also pinpoints many cases that show the greed and selfishness of imperialism. The evilness of how the Africans were treated is critiqued well in a quote "the men who work for the company describe what they do as `trade' and their treatment of native Africans is part of a benevolent project of civilization" (http://www.sparknotes.com; Heart of Darkness). This is a very true statement which shows that the way the colonizers treated the African was more like slaves rather than people.

Environmental scanning Essay

International Players Cement and Lafarge Birla Cement, the Indian cement industry is broadly home-grown. Ultratech Cement, the country’s largest firm in terms of cement capacity, holds around 22% of the domestic market, with ACC (50%-owned by Holcim) and Ambuja (50%-owned by Holcim) having 15% and 13% shares respectively. †¢Many of the remaining dozen top players are Indian and are (in order of diminishing market share); Jaiprakash Associates (10%), The India Cements Ltd (7%), Shree Cements (6%), Century Textiles and Industries (5%), Madras Cements (5%), Lafarge (5%), Birla Cement (4%) and Binani Cement (4%). †¢ Between them the top 12 cement firms have around 70% of the domestic market. Around 100 smaller players produce and grind cement on a wide range of scales but are often confined to small areas Economic Environment’s Impact  on Cement Industry †¢ Currently, the industry is on the boom, with a lot of government infrastructure and housing projects under construction. In spite of seeing a fall during 2008-09, the export segment of the industry is expected to grow again on account of various infrastructure projects that are being taken up all over the world and numerous outstanding cement plants coming up in near future in the country. †¢ Over time more sophisticated and refined methodologies in connection with longer time series were employed to study productivity change. The contribution of total factor productivity to output  growth was of primary interest to explain the continuously low economic development. †¢ During that time, labor productivity as well as capital availability and use increased considerably, while the overall growth rate of the economy stagnated at low levels †¢ Concerned about the efficiency of resource use researchers started investigating productivity growth and input factor substitutions for aggregate manufacturing as well as various industries Ambuja Cement’s ECONOMIC CONDITION †¢ Its financial statements i.e balance sheet and profit and loss, profits are increasing every year and its share price is also high as compared to other cement industries and its assets are also  increased. It means that its financial position is very strong as compared to others. †¢ From here we can analyse that its profits are increasing year by year and it means that they are providing more to GPI,with this our NPI will also be increase and overall position of country will be better. †¢ From here we can analyse that if industry position is strong then our country’s position will also be strong. †¢ It means it is beneficial for the people and country. Social Environment’s impact  on industry †¢ Usually, the cement industry in India consists of both the organized sector and the unorganized sector. †¢ Organized sector comprises of the well-known cement manufacturing companies while the main players of the unorganized sector are the regional and local cement-producing units in various states across the state. †¢ Indian consumers prefer buying branded cement like ULTRATECH, JAYPEE CEMENT, LAFARGE CEMENT etc. †¢ It has been seen in the past, as well, that mini cement plants with low  brand value and image are not able to survive against the cement giants. †¢ With a population of more than 100 billion people, it is expected that cement industry will create another 25 lakhs jobs in the next 4-5 years. Ambuja Cements’ Social Impact †¢ This particular company is totally different from. On this case they really helped by doing lot of social work like they putt off various health centres for the poor people and provide Monetary help also to some reason. †¢ They also helped by providing education facilities to poor people like books etc. †¢ Not only this they are also providing good quality products that doesn’t harm any kind of injuries to the people while they are using it. †¢ The Company strives to provide a safe and healthy work environment for its employees and to avoid adverse impact and injury to the environment and communities in which the company conducts its business. The commitment is reflected in the number of awards the Company has received including National Award for outstanding pollution control. †¢ The awareness and training programme on health and safety related issues should be conducted regularly. All the employees, and directors shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations relating to health and safety so as to ensure healthy and safe work environment. Using or being under the influence of illegal drugs and alcohol on the job is absolutely prohibited. POLITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING THE INDUSTRY †¢ The price of cement is primarily controlled by the coal rates, power tariffs, railway tariffs, freight, royalty and cess on limestone. Interestingly, government controls all of these prices. †¢ Government is also one of the biggest consumers of the cement in the country. †¢ Govt. of India plans to increase its investment in infrastructure to US $ 1 trillion in the TwelfthFive Year Plan (2012-17) will lead to increase in the demand of cement. †¢ Infrastructure projects such as the dedicated freight corridors, upgraded new airports and ports are expected to enhance the scale of  economic activity, leading to a substantial increase in cement demand furthermore. †¢ Most state governments, in order to attract investments in their respective states, offer Fiscal incentives in the form of sales tax exemptions/deferrals. States like Haryana offer a freeze on power tariff for 5 years, while Gujarat offers exemption from electric duty. †¢ Strict law & order conditions and political will of the leader of any state enhance theconfidence of people living in the states as well as corporate to invest in that particular state. †¢ The total Government levies and taxes , which include Royalty on Limestone, Royalty on Coal,Electricity Duty, VAT/Sales Tax etc.,on cement constitute about 60% or more of the exfactoryprice of cement. Political Environment for Ambuja Cements Its political environmental is totally different from others because they never put any kind of political pressure on any other whether it is against or in favor for them. They always try to follow the proper rules and regulations that are made by the central government. †¢ But still they have to change their strategies as per change in the political environment. †¢ This policy applies solely to the Company and is not intended to discourage or prevent individual Director or Employee from making political contributions or engaging in political activities on their own behalf. †¢ No personal political contribution is reimbursed by the Company. No personal political activities should interfere with duties to be discharged with the Company in line with this Code of Conduct. LEGAL ENVIRONMENT †¢ Ambuja cements is most recognized unit in India and they always they are following proper rules and regulations that are made by central government and also follows that are mentioned in the Company’s ACT 1947 regarding Safety, Health and Social needs. †¢ They should Endeavour to keep abreast of the developments in laws and regulations and comply with the same. If any one gets to know of any non compliance of any of the laws in his or her colleagues area of operation in the company the same is brought to his/her immediate notice as well to the notice of his/her Head of the Department. †¢ All Directors and Employees of the Company conduct business affairs with honesty and integrity and in full compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations and shall not commit any illegal or unethical act or instruct others to do so, for any reason. Technological Factors affecting the Cement Industry †¢ From mining to production the entire process depends on technology. †¢ The Government of India plans to study and possibly acquire new technologies from the cement industry of Japan. †¢ The government is discussing technology transfer in the field of energy conservation and environment protection to help improve efficiency of the Indian cement industry. †¢ At present 93% of the total capacity in the industry is based on modern and environment-friendly dry process technology. †¢ There is tremendous scope for waste heat recovery in cement plants and thereby reduction in emission level. †¢ One project for co-generation of power utilizing waste heat in an Indian cement plant is being implemented with Japanese assistance under Green Aid Plan. †¢ The induction of advanced technology has helped the industry immensely to conserve energy and fuel and to save materials substantially. †¢ Also, some cement plants have set up dedicated jetties for promoting bulk transportation and export. Technological environment for Ambuja Cements Ltd. †¢ It is one of the most important factor as compared to  others. In this particular we are going to discuss that  what type of technology they are using and how much  beneficial for them as well as for the people who are  using this particular product. †¢ Ambuja cements industry is having good quality  machines to make their products and also they are using  latest technology machines. And their technology is very  effective that is implemented and they also implanted  modern technology like Inventory Control system etc INTERNATIONAL Factors affecting Cement  Industry †¢ With the rapid growth rate of the Indian economy after the 1990s, the infrastructural developments within the country has been tremendous. †¢ The increase in the construction activities has led to the increase in the demand for updated quality building materials and other allied products. †¢ Cement being one of the major elements in the construction work, there is a growth in the cement industry in India. The consumption of cement has increased in India by nearly 7.5%. †¢ With the globalization of Indian cement industry many foreign cement manufacturers are engaging themselves in agreements and deals with their India counter parts to have a share of the growth. †¢ Large cement players in India will use the acquisition route to enhance capacity and market share. It is clear that smaller plants will not survive in the long term. The top five players will hold 70-80 % of capacities and market in the next decade. †¢ There is an expectation that more global players would come into India as they would like to get a foothold in the market as the demand will propel in the emerging economies. †¢ Acquisition appears a good route primarily because a Greenfield cement plant takes 3-4 years to build and another 3-4 years to break even at an operating level of even 70-75 %. E.g.:- The acquisition of the Larsen & Toubro cement (ULTRATECH CEMENT LIMITED) business by Grasim Industries Limited in 2003-04 is a case in point.