Birthday Party Project Management - 2712 Words

Final Project: Surprise Birthday Dinner Event Roy K. M. Mamuad AD642: Project Management Professor Roger D. H. Warburton, Ph D. Boston University 23 Feb 2010 Abstract Doing something special for the one you love is something that has been done throughout the ages. Studies have shown not only does an act of kindness strengthen personal relationships in marriage, but it also has positive health benefits resulting from social family gatherings and traditions. The proposed project presents a scenario of exploiting such a positive bonding. It shows the results of what can be accomplished by a bringing together an annual special occasion and creatively fusing it with family interaction. My wife has her 31st birthday coming up in 6 months and†¦show more content†¦Established: 1 Apr 10 * Airline Tickets Procured: 1 Apr 10 * Guest List Established: 4 Apr 10 * Invitations Sent Out: 4 Apr 10 * Dinner Venue Secured: 4 Apr 10 * Modified Recipes Planned: 4 Apr 10 * Final Menu: 4 Apr 10 * Grocery List: 4 Apr 10 * Arrive in Seattle, WA: 12 July 10 * Arrive at Dinner Venue: 12 July 10 * Happy Surprised Wife: 16 July 10 Technical Requirements: * 3 guests have an allergy to nuts * Dinner venue to support 50 guests * 1 - 36† Outdoor gas grill w/ burner capability of 10,000 Btu/hr * 6 - burner ceramic range w/ burner capability of 15,000 Btu/hr * 2 - 1.7 cubic foot microwave ovens w/ cooking capability of 950 W * 2 - 30† 4.2 cubic foot ovens w/ Bake/Broil capability of 3,400-4,000 W * 1 - 36† 17.6 cubic foot refrigerator w/ a 7 cubic foot freezer * Calphalon contemporary stainless steel cookware consisting of 2-1.5 qt sauce pan with cover, 1-3.5 qt sauce pan, 2-3 qt sautà ©, 1-8 qt stock pot w/ oven-safe temp capability of 500 F Risks: * Guest schedule conflicts * Food not properly prepared * Food poisoning * Extra guests * Weather * Not enough food * BBQ gas tank capacity * Unavailable resources Limits amp; Constraints: * Transportation to and from event is guests responsibility * Guest food allergies or aversions * Weather during the event * Funding for the project Assumptions: * Everyone on the guest list will be attending with their schedulesShow MoreRelatedThe Mission Statement Of Party City1639 Words   |  7 PagesThe mission statement of Party City, my current employer, as stated in the handbook: Party City loves to celebrate. We pride ourselves on making it easy and fun for our customers to celebrate the special times in the lives of their family and friends by offering a complete selection of fresh and exciting merchandise at great value in a fun shopping environment. Culture The culture of the company is built on customer service, team building and a fun environment. The focus on the customer includesRead MoreEvent Planning1078 Words   |  5 Pages29, 2012 The Wonderful World of Event Planning What is event planning? Other than my dream job, event planning is the process of planning special occasions such as – but not limited to – fairs, parades, weddings, reunions, sweet sixteen’s, birthdays, graduations, conferences, political rallies, fashion shows, and memorials. Event planning includes budgeting, establishing dates and alternate dates, selecting and reserving the event set, acquiring permits, and coordinating transportation and parkingRead MoreJensen Shoe Essay1503 Words   |  7 PagesCase Analysis: Jensen Shoe Introduction Jensen Shoe explains a situation between an employee (Lyndon Brooks) and his immediate supervisor (Jane Kravitz). Here, both parties came into a situation with different motivations and perceptions. Brooks felt that he was being demoted by being taken off the line management and this interfered with his plans of advancing within the company. While, Kravitz also wanted to be a successful manager and have her team complete their task at hand. TheRead MoreMy Experience At Nulook Bounce N Party1063 Words   |  5 PagesBounce-n-Party is a family-owned business located in Winterville, NC, Elizabeth City, NC, and Rocky Mount, NC. The facility in Winterville, NC is nearby stores and many residential homes. Established in the year 2013, Nulook Bounce-n-Party has a mission, which is to provide wholesome fun and entertainment for infants, toddlers and children 0-12 years old. Various inflatables such as moonwalks and bouncers, also known as bounce houses and or jumpers are some items offered by Nulook Bounce-n-Party. TheyRead MoreMy Application Learning Experience At The American Lung Association Of Hawaii ( Ala )1182 Words   |  5 Pagesschedules to answer my questions, describe their positions, and explain their responsibilities and current projects. The office even prepared a PowerPoint presentation to teach me about the history of the LUNG FORCE walk. I especially enjoyed my internship due to the positive working relati onships. During my time with the ALA, we celebrated my birthday, Ben’s birthday, my going-away party, and received occasional free lunches as rewards for our achievements. Meanwhile, I would meet with Kim everyRead MoreSports Complex ( Bsc )1731 Words   |  7 Pagesas Disney Land. The closest competitor to follow this â€Å"wow-factor† in the Branchburg NJ area had a tiny arcade and ice skating rink. Mark was inspired by the poor quality of the services this location offered when he brought his son there for a birthday party. He suggested that a great way of coming up with a business idea is improving on what someone couldn’t successfully carry out. The owner of this establishment shared his financials with Mark because he saw him as a potential investor when MarkRead MoreOriental Restaurant Plans Entering The Restaurant Business1485 Words   |  6 PagesRestaurant plans to hold promotions throughout the year such as: free soft drinks and complimentary meal for the birthday person in a birthday party of more than 5 people. Functional tactics: According to Pearce (2013), functional tactics are detailed statements of the â€Å"means† or activities that will be used by a company to achieve short-term objectives and establish competitive advantage. Management involvement is required for the functional tactics to be successfully implemented. In addition, the functionalRead MoreOriental Restaurant Plans Entering The Restaurant Business1485 Words   |  6 PagesRestaurant plans to hold promotions throughout the year such as: free soft drinks and complimentary meal for the birthday person in a birthday party of more than 5 people. Functional tactics: According to Pearce (2013), functional tactics are detailed statements of the â€Å"means† or activities that will be used by a company to achieve short-term objectives and establish competitive advantage. Management involvement is required for the functional tactics to be successfully implemented. In addition, the functionalRead MoreTyco1465 Words   |  6 Pagescrimes was based in Exeter. Kozlowski, whose name will long be associated with the $6,000 shower curtain and a $2 million birthday party, obviously had big dreams and large ambitions. But he never imagined the kind of house he would be living in when he was interviewed by Morley Safer of CBSs 60 Minutes in March of last year. In my wildest imagination, when I would project myself into my late 50s and early 60s, where I would be or what I would be doing. If I make a list of a hundred differentRead MoreEssay about Three Main Approaches to Public Administration1023 Words   |  5 Pagesit’s still important for these decentralized units to be governed or led by a central government in order to prevent disorder or chaos. This is applicable even in everyday situations, such as group projects or team initiatives, whether at work or among friends. For example, when completing a project at work, although the different members of the team have their own designations or delegated tasks, it is still important for one of the team members to act as a leader or coordinator. This will ensure

A Brief Look at Steve Jay Gould - 903 Words

A five-year old boy and his father walk through the American Museum of Natural History in New York (â€Å"World Biography†). They explore the exhibits, but one in particular stands out to the child. In front of him stands a Tyrannosaurus rex. The five-year old boy was Stephen Jay Gould. He is quoted saying, â€Å"As we stood in front of the beast, a man sneezed; I gulped and prepared to utter my Sherman Yisrael. But the great animal stood immobile in all its bony grandeur, and as we left, I announced that I would be a paleontologist when I grew up,† (qtd. in â€Å"World Biography†). This proclamation was the beginning to a long and successful career in paleontology and evolution. Stephen was born September 10, 1941 in New York, New York (â€Å"World Biography†). His mother’s name was Eleanor and she was an artist (â€Å"World Biography†). His father’s name was Leonard (â€Å"World Biography†). He was a court reporter and an unpaid naturalist on the side (â€Å"World Biography†). As a child, Stephen’s mother and three elementary school teachers supported his desire to learn about evolution. When he was eleven, he was well on his way to reading multiple books on the theory of evolution and Darwin’s beliefs (â€Å"World Biography†). This passion for science and the understanding of life followed him to high school. He was faced with the need to defend his belief of evolution when creationists challenged him (â€Å"World Biography†). Gould finished high school and went on to attend the University of Colorado in BoulderShow MoreRelatedAccounting 1-4 Chapter100452 Words   |  402 PagesRead Text and Answer Do it! p. 5 p. 11 p. 18 p. 20 Work Using the Decision Toolkit Review Summary of Study Objectives Work Comprehensive Do it! p. 23 Answer Self-Test Questions Complete Assignments Go to WileyPLUS for practice and tutorials Read A Look at IFRS p. 42 study objectives After studying this chapter, you should be able to: 1 Describe the primary forms of business organization. 2 Identify the users and uses of accounting information. 3 Explain the three principal types of business activityRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagesed. p. cm. Includes indexes. ISBN-13: 978-0-13-283487-2 ISBN-10: 0-13-283487-1 1. Organizational behavior. I. Judge, Tim. II. Title. HD58.7.R62 2012 658.3—dc23 2011038674 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ISBN 10: 0-13-283487-1 ISBN 13: 978-0-13-283487-2 Brief Contents Preface xxii 1 2 Introduction 1 What Is Organizational Behavior? 3 The Individual 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Diversity in Organizations 39 Attitudes and Job Satisfaction 69 Emotions and Moods 97 Personality and Values 131 Perception andRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesusual focus on the two superpowers INTRODUCTION †¢ 7 to look at â€Å"nuclear politics,† which encompasses both state initiatives and popular dissent, in former but diminished national great powers such as France and Great Britain and in emerging and aspiring high-tech states of very different sorts in Israel, India, and China. Equally impressive in terms of the global range of questions they include, Hecht and Edwards look at the impact of the nuclear nations’ quest for viable, stable sources

Credentials And Scope Professional Sector †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Credentials And Scope Professional Sector? Answer: Introduction In the recent world, with globalization and new job avenues opening in front of us, constant upgrading and improvisations are becoming absolutely necessary for employees, to increase our efficiency, credentials and scope in the professional sector, thereby increasing our scope to prosper in our work life. As the job world is rapidly moving to the path of specialization and special skill development, new job types are emerging in different industries as well as the same industry. Therefore, knowledge acquisitions about the new job roles, the dynamics and challenges in carrying out the job responsibilities efficiently and developing personal skills for doing the same is management more and more important with each passing day. In this essay, I try to reflect on the my job roles, the attributes I have relevant to the job I am currently doing, my achievements in the professional domain and the skills I need to need to focus on to prosper in my work life (Marescaux, De Winne and Sels 2012) . I have been working in a multi-national company, venturing mainly in food and beverage industry, in the capacity of a human resource manager, for the last three years. My broad job role is to handle the human resource department of the companys branch in Sydney, Australia. After completing my masters in English from a reputed university in Britain, from where I belong, I pursued a diploma in Human resource management from the same university, before getting placed in this company. My attributes Communication and interacting with ease with people belonging from different age group, profession and lingual background has been one of my strongest fortes. Being multi-lingual, I can communicate verbally in English, Spanish and French, which has helped me considerably to play the role of a HR Manager in the multi-national company. Leadership being one of the primary requirements of my job has not been a problem for me, as I have always loved to work in a cooperative and team environment. My job requires problem-solving capabilities for which presence of mind is required as many problems come up all of a sudden and needs to be addressed with prudency. I have been handling the problems cropping up in this sector for the last three years and have taken decisions on part of the company, regarding hiring and firing employees, designing employee evaluation framework and conducting successful employee training programs. Most of these were of substantial success and brought short term as well as long-term benefits for the company (Kinicki and Kreitner 2012). However, with advent of time and competition entering in every aspect of professional life, I feel the need to augment my skills and upgrade myself so as to be more efficient in my workplace and increase my scopes in future. a) Ability to resolve conflicts- In the recent times, the company I work for has been experiencing several disturbances, which are mainly arising due to the conflict of interests between the employers and the employee. The main issue contributing to this conflict is the disparity in wages of the employees in this company and their counterparts in other similar enterprises. Being a human resource manager, I need to act as a bridge between both the conflicting parties. For this purpose, I need to improve my negotiation and conflict resolving capabilities to resolve the disturbance in my enterprise (Chartered Accountants 2016). b) Complex corporate policy planning ability- Though policy planning, in the broad definition of the term, does not fall under my job roles, however, with advent of a more complex business structure, the job roles are changing and becoming more cognitive in nature. I as a human resource management, nowadays, need to keep this in account and need to be more adept in designing policies related to the welfare of the company as well as the participants in the enterprise. These policies being complex in nature, sufficient training and knowledge is required for which I need to update myself (Chartered Accountants 2016). c) Time management- The most important aspect of my job is that I need to carry out many tasks of different types and genres within small span of time. Therefore, time management is one of the most necessary skills, which I need to acquire as without proper time management, I may fail to deliver some of my tasks and therefore, lose credibility in the eyes of my employers (Goetsch and Davis 2014). Conclusion As discussed above continuous development of skills and improvising personal capabilities are required in order to stay in the labor force as an efficient employee. This can be done by keeping oneself updated with the latest skill augmenting innovations and knowledge and upgrading himself according to these innovations and the constantly updating and changing requirements of a particular job role with time. Self-satisfaction and content may lead to stagnancy, thereby decreasing the potential in the coming years and therefore, continuous self-assessment and self-development are required in terms of skills and efficiency. Reference Chartered Accountants, A.N.Z., 2016. The Future of Work: How Can We Adapt to Survive and Thrive. Goetsch, D.L. and Davis, S.B., 2014.Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: accounting. Kinicki, A. and Kreitner, R., 2012.Organizational behavior: Key concepts, skills best practices. McGraw-Hill Irwin. Marescaux, E., De Winne, S. and Sels, L., 2012. HR practices and HRM outcomes: The role of basic need satisfaction.Personnel Review,42(1), pp.4-27

Desease Bachelor’s of Nursing

Question: Describe about infectious disease in bachelors of nursing? Answer: Measles also called as morbilli, rubeola or red measles, an extreme infectious disease caused by measles virus. Measles is mainly an infection which generally causes to children and this disease can be averted by vaccination. The symptoms of this disease include sore throat, cough, inflamed eyes, and fever, running nose and red rashes on the skin. Although the rates of death is falling of this disease but then also every year this disease kills more than 100,000 people and mostly children who are under the age of 5 years. As the vaccination rates is increasing, so the disease is not spreading widely. Hepatitis B is a sort of liver infection. This type of disease mainly does not have any symptoms so this type of disease is not easily diagnosed. Hepatitis B can be both critical and chronic. This type of disease affects the liver so much that it leads to liver failure, liver cancer and also death. Hepatitis B can be easily spread through sex. People are vaccinated at their young age to prevent them from this disease. The first stage of preventing yourself and others from this disease you have to keep yourself and everyone updated about the knowledge of these disease. Measles is circulated mainly through breathing because it is an airborne disease. It mainly catches by sneezing and coughing, tissues when it is soiled with nose and contacted with hands. It enters within a person within 30 minutes after coming in contact with the effected person. In Australia during the time period of 1960s almost everybody suffered from the disease in their childhood and for that people who born during that time in Australia are already immune to this disease. After the vaccination was introduced it started and the disease started affecting people of average age. The symptoms of this disease are cough and cold, fever, photophobia etc. The symptoms easily worsen the health of the person in 3-5 days (Maltezou, Wicker, 2013). By 2013, in Australia it is seen that there is interruption in spreading the disease. Mostly in Australia cases of these disease is import related. After 1997, in the year 2012 there was the largest outbreak of the disease and mostly it was imported from Thailand. Many people of this country got affected with this disease while coming back from Indonesia. In counties like Japan, Israel measles widely broke out after 2005 (Taddei, Ceccherini, Niccolai, Porchia, Boccalini, Levi, Bechini, 2014). World Health Organization had decided that by 2013 they will be eliminating the disease from all over the world by 2015. But in that year it suddenly broke out in countries like U.K and Germany and gave a threat to the eliminating plan. In England by the year 2013 the highest number of people got affected by the disease. In USA the vaccination rates of measles is high but then also measles is a harmful childhood disease so it is advised to every parents that they should vaccine their children during the right moment and it might help in stop spreading the disease. In 2014, four children in a family got affected by measles and none of them were vaccinated and during that time measles was highly exposed in that country (Mathie, Huey, Jurgens, Welsch, DeVito, Talekar, Porotto,2015). Risk in managing the disease from spreading To stop the disease from spreading certain steps need to be taken like- to vaccine the children at the right moment, not to bring your little born with the contact of measles affected people, not to bring a severely ill person with the contact to affected person. Risk of transferring the disease to Health Care Workers Health care workers (HCW) should take certain preventions so that they do not get affected by measles. All the workers should be vaccinated so that they are not affected while taking care of those people who are suffering from this disease. HCW should have so much potential enough so that they can treat the infected person directly without getting infected himself. HCW should not share are same air with the infectious people not more than 2 hours at a stretch especially in a closed area. HCW who have got infected while serving should immediately be removed from the work for at least 4 days until the virus is omitted from his body (Thompson, Strebel, Dabbagh Cherian, Cochi, 2013). Hepatitis B is both critical and chronic. The critical case takes maximum 6 months to badly infect the affected person. Symptoms of this disease are nausea, vomiting etc. Patients suffering from disease suffers mental confusion, coma, gastrointestinal bleeding. If the person is suffering from hepatitis B or not can be known by testing HBsAg, anti- HBc, anti HBs. The symptoms take around 3 months to spread within the person. This disease is common in Australia and around 100,000 people are undiagnosed from this disease and around one- fifth of them are under treatment and this shows that a lot of responsibility needs to be taken. All infants should be vaccinated with hepatitis B during the initial days of their birth (Sullivan, Carballo-Diguez, Coates, Goodreau, McGowan, Sanders, Sanchez, 2012). In US, by 2009 more than 3000 cases are of acute hepatitis B. Mainly people getting affected by this disease are not reported .People getting infected by this disease by coming in simple contact is normally low because this is blood borne and sexually transmitted virus. Around 45% of people lives in highly effected area of HIV (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC. 2011). Risk of transferring the disease to Health Care Workers While transferring blood from one person to another, health workers should keep in mind that those bloods are highly infectious. They should take barriers like using gloves, mask, goggles etc and immediately wash their hands and skin before coming in contact with any other bloody fluids (Heffron, Donnell, Rees, Celum, Mugo, Were, Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study Team.2012). Risk in managing the disease from spreading As HIV is spread mainly though sex so special care should be taken by using condoms so that it does not spread to any other person. When a person comes to know about his HIV then immediately he should contact with the doctor and gets treated and also motivate your partners to do so. Many drugs which is mainly given by injecting can transfer HIV. Drugs like cocaine, alcohol can lower your immune system and can infect a person by HIV (Yahaya, Jimoh, Balogun, 2014). Comparison and Contrast Measles and Hepatitis B both the diseases are extremely infectious disease. A person can die if they are suffering from any one of these two. Both the diseases are very different from each other. There symptoms are totally different. Symptoms of measles are cough and cold, sore throat, whereas symptoms of hepatitis B are nausea and vomiting. Measles can be prevented by taking the vaccination and hepatitis B can be prevented by using condoms and consulting the doctor. References Maltezou, H. C., Wicker, S. (2013). Measles in health-care settings.American journal of infection control,41(7), 661-663. Taddei, C., Ceccherini, V., Niccolai, G., Porchia, B. R., Boccalini, S., Levi, M., ... Bechini, A. (2014). Attitude toward immunization and risk perception of measles, rubella, mumps, varicella, and pertussis in health care workers working in 6 hospitals of Florence, Italy 2011.Human vaccines immunotherapeutics,10(9), 2612-2622. Mathieu, C., Huey, D., Jurgens, E., Welsch, J. C., DeVito, I., Talekar, A., ... Porotto, M. (2015). Prevention of Measles Virus Infection by Intranasal Delivery of Fusion Inhibitor PeptidesJournal of virology,89(2), 1143-1155 Thompson, K. M., Strebel, P. M., Dabbagh, A., Cherian, T., Cochi, S. L(2013) Enabling implementation of the Global Vaccine Action Plan: Developing investment cases to achieve targets for measles and rubella prevention.Vaccine,31, B149-B156. Sullivan, P. S., Carballo-Diguez, A., Coates, T., Goodreau, S. M., McGowan, I., Sanders, E. J Sanchez, J. (2012) Successes and challenges of HIV prevention in men who have sex with menThe Lancet,380(9839), 388-399 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC (2011) Vital signs: HIV prevention through care and treatment--United States.MMWR Morbidity and mortality weekly report,60(47), 1618 Heffron, R., Donnell, D., Rees, H., Celum, C., Mugo, N., Were, E Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study Team. (2012). Use of hormonal contraceptives and risk of HIV-1 transmission: a prospective cohort study.The Lancet infectious diseases,12(1), 19-26. Yahaya, L. A., Jimoh, A. A. G., Balogun, O. R. (2014) Factors hindering acceptance of HIV/AIDS voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) among youth in Kwara State, NigeriaAfrican journal of reproductive health,14(3), 159-164.

Riding The Rails Essays - Hobo, The Hobos, , Term Papers

Riding The Rails Riding the Rails The Depression caused hard times for everybody, but I think it was especially difficult for men since they were the ones responsible for making the money for food and things for the families. This forced many of them to leave their homes in search of work, most just rode the railroads in search of work. These men were dubbed the name Hobos. One story that I read was about a guy named Henry Koczar, from East Chicago. He was 19 years old when he left his family. Being part of a big family mad it hard on his parents to put food on the table every day. Especially because his father was now suffering from stomach ulcers and to top it off out of work. Henry wanted only for his family to have it a little bit easier and felt he was old enough now to start working on his own. So in September of 1932 he took off on a train in hopes of lightening the burden on his family. Now not all of the hobos were out of high school and ready for work. Some of them were just kids when they started life on their own. The ones I'm going to talk about were only 11, 12 and 13 years old! Berkeley Hacket was one of those kids that didn't enjoy school too much. One day he just ran away on his way there. The year was 1929, he was 13 years old. Dials and Emmy, I think, were smart. They kept each other company along the way. The two left their Seattle home in 1929. When they reached Auborn Yards it was near 2:00, shortly after they began their eight hour haul over the Cascade Mountains. Emma was 11 and Dials was 12. Claude Franklin simply said his lust to wander was all it took for him to run away. Leslie E. Pauls had kind of an ironically coincidental situation, he happened to be the son and step-son of railroad men. He keeps vivid memories of his Duluth home, sittin' back in the summer time on the porch he grew up on. That was when he left, in the summer, it was 1933 and he had just graduated from high school. He was 18 and ready for the world. Most of these stories don't really have too much heartache in them but it was tough on them all no matter what the situation. Once they got out there they found work wasn't as available as they'd hoped it would be. Some towns didn't even want them around at all and they were physically and verbally forced out of them. So the sound of seeing the world had a whole new meaning once they were in it. American History

Marketing Communications Notes Essays

Marketing Communications Notes Essays Marketing Communications Notes Paper Marketing Communications Notes Paper pan-Latin America, pan-Middle East, pan-Africa, and pan-Atlantic. European advertising would likely be used in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, while the Asian ads would be placed in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. Recognizing the economic power of these tigers, Gillette clusters Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan together, and recognizing the sheer numbers and consumer power, treats Japan, China and India as separate clusters. Gillette believes it can identify the same purchase behaviours, consumer habits and needs in regions or countries linked by culture (cultural clusters), justifying this approach (Jain 1996, 555). 20 MKT B366 Marketing Communications Activity 1. 4 Your company has adopted an IMC approach to marketing its products in Hong Kong. The Managing Director has asked your advice as to whether it needs to consider IMC issues when it expands into Singapore and New Zealand. Unit 1 21 Moral and ethical issues in marketing Should cigarettes and alcohol be advertised? If so, to whom? Would it be acceptable to have cigarettes aimed at children, featuring Teletubbies with the brand name ‘My First Cigarettes’ or Bob the Builder alcohol drink boxes? What about sales promotions where free alcohol and cigarette samples are given out? Again, if so, to whom? Would such promotions held in a schoolyard or at a school festival be acceptable? What about loyalty programmes that reward patrons with merchandise based on the amount they gamble or the number of firearms they purchase? Such promotions do occur. I was once given a sample pack of cigarettes targeted to women on a busy street in Tokyo. Bass Taverns, which has 800 pubs across Britain, began a loyalty scheme in the late 1990’s for pub regulars where every pound spent earned one point with every 25 points earning a one pound discount on food and drink. The loyalty card uses thermal imaging so the glass of beer on the front of the card ‘fills up’ as points accrue. Believe it or not, patrons asked Bass Taverns to raise the price of their beer - at the regular price of one pound fortynine, regulars complained that they fell two pence short of accumulating three points when they bought a round of two lagers! These are the types of questions faced by marketers on a regular basis as they try to determine what is acceptable, where it would be acceptable recognizing that different cultures have different values and where the line has to be drawn. As you read the following section in Clow and Baack, recognize that it is written by American authors who are discussing what is perceived to be acceptable both ethically and morally in the United States. Does everything they say apply in Hong Kong or are there any exceptions or things missing? Recognize as well that ethics and morals are personal, so what one individual finds to be totally immoral or unethical could be considered perfectly acceptable or borderline by another. Reading Clow and Baack, 416–19. Businesses have to make a profit to stay in business. To make a profit, businesses must generate sales and control expenses. While most would agree that companies that act ethically, morally and responsibly have a greater chance of long-term success, the temptation is always there to cut corners to reduce costs or generate faster sales, to counter the competition or to take advantage of a particular group of consumers - remember the quote at the beginning of this unit. Clow and Baack define morals as ‘the beliefs or principles that individuals hold concerning what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ (p. 416). Morals 22 MKT B366 Marketing Communications direct our decisions and behaviours. Ethics are the ‘moral principles that serve as guidelines for both individuals and organizations’ (p. 416), helping both individuals and organizations to ‘draw the line’ between what is acceptable and what is unacceptable. In the textbook, Clow and Blaack discuss the need for social responsibility and formalized training. In the following sections, the issues of ethics will be described in more detail, including codes of ethics, ethical criticisms faced by marketers, ethics across cultures, and the relationship between ethics and purchase behaviour. An exploration of these issues helps shape the IMC programme. You may be interested in taking the online ethics tutorials offered by the United States Direct Marketing Association (USDMA) at . Codes of ethics Organizations and professions also adopt codes of ethics to direct the behaviour of their members. As Appendices 1. 1–1. 3 of this unit, you will find the following marketing codes of ethics. The Chartered Institute of Marketing (2003) ‘General regulations for the provision of professional standards, ethics and disciplinary procedures in accordance with royal charter bye-laws 16–19’, United Kingdom Canadian Marketing Associat ion (2004) ‘Code of ethics and standards of practice’. The revised CMA ‘Code of ethics and standards of practice’ will take effect on 1 January 2007. A completed information package can be downloaded from Hong Kong Direct Marketing Association (HKDMA) (2002) ‘Code of ethics’. Please take a quick look at these codes and notice how each of them codes of ethics bind their members. Notice how some of the components of these codes are quite specific. For example, in the HKDMA code, item 4 requires that ‘when price comparisons are used, they must be factual and verifiable’. The Canadian Marketing Association’s code has a section concerning marketing to children and specific regulations for different types of media such as television and print. The Chartered Institute of Marketing’s code has a very explicit section concerning its Disciplinary Committee and how complaints against members will be processed. Codes of practice The HKDMA has also adopted a code of practice for the ‘Use of personal data in direct marketing’. The use of personal data, especially the onselling of membership and mailing lists, has been quite a Unit 1 23 contentious issue in many countries, exacerbated by increased consumer participation on the Internet. The code of practice has been designed to ensure that HKDMA members comply with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance of the Hong Kong Government. The HKDMA code of practice can be accessed on their website at . As commercial traffic increases on the Internet, expect to see codes of ethics developed specifically for online marketing activities, especially in the sensitive area of online marketing to children. Ethical criticisms faced by marketers On page 417 of your textbook, some of the major specific ethical criticisms faced by marketers are listed. You may find it a useful exercise to ask friends or family if they agree with the criticisms and if they can provide recent Hong Kong examples from their own experiences. Do not be surprised if you find a divergence of opinions, which further reinforces that morals and ethics are personal. If you were to ask a group of ten marketers if they agree that these are bona fide criticisms, would you expect their opinions to be consistent with each other and with those expressed by your friends and family? What about government officials, especially those charged with regulating marketing activities? What about consumers, marketers and government officials in different countries? Recognize that consumers, marketers and government officials, both in Hong Kong and in countries around the world would each approach these ethical issues from slightly different perspectives and that these different perspectives may be reflected in their judgements as to what is ethical and what is unethical. Recognize as well that these criticisms reflect value judgements - what is offensive to one individual may be quite acceptable to another. Let’s look a little closer at these criticisms: Marketing causes people to buy more than they can afford and overemphasizes materialism A student, when asked to define marketing on an exam, once provided me with the oft quoted ‘Marketing is about buying things you don’t need, with money you don’t have, to impress people you don’t know’. Not an answer that would be found in many marketing texts or that would get many marks on an exam. And certainly not what the American Marketing Association intended in their slogan ‘Marketing makes a good life better’. However, there would be many who would assert that there is more than a grain of truth in the student’s definition - remember the quote from the beginning of this unit about finding ‘suckers’ and persistent salespeople. There is no doubt that there are consumers who overspend - ever increasing credit card debt and business overdrafts attest to this fact. There is also no doubt that there are consumers who seek instant gratification and, believing advertising 24 MKT B366 Marketing Communications claims, overspend, either as a lifestyle or an occasional indulgence. Those opposed to globalization often point to what they perceive to be frivolous spending - say a Michael Jordon t-shirt purchased by a consumer in Africa existing on subsistence wages - as evidence of the power of advertising to direct consumer behaviours. Critics contend that advertisements portray products in such a way that not purchasing them leads to dissatisfaction. The debate really boils down to power and who is more powerful: are marketers more powerful than consumers, able to manipulate, overcome objections and stimulate behaviour? Or are consumers more powerful than marketers, able to exercise free will and their own decision making powers? What do you believe? What about your friends and family? Marketing increases the costs of goods and services You don’t need to be an economist to realize that marketing costs money - for example, the millions of US dollars needed to get a 15 second spot in the SuperBowl telecast. And you don’t need to be an accountant to realize that companies cannot absorb the total cost of marketing, while still making a profit and staying in business. At least some of the costs of marketing must be passed on to consumers in the sticker price. Clow and Baack point out that advertising and other forms of promotion serve to establish and enhance brand images, providing consumers with psychological benefits in addition to the physical benefits. For some consumers, the extra money paid is worth it to get a brand label or shop in a prestigious boutique. L’Oreal hair colouring acknowledges this fact in their slogan ‘More expensive yes, but I’m worth it! ’ Marketing proponents would point out that consumers have choice. They can purchase the fake Rolex watch, Chanel purse or Yves Saint Laurent tie at the Ladies Market; an unbranded watch, purse or tie at a hawker’s stall, or the real thing at a boutique in Prince’s Square or Festival Walk. Given Hong Kong’s love affair with brands and logos, where fakes are considered better than ‘no names’, it would appear that local consumers believe that the psychological benefits, most created and supported by promotion, are ‘worth it’. Marketing perpetuates stereotypes A debate has raged for years within the advertising community as to the power of advertising and its true role within society. Does it reflect the values, attitudes, morals and behaviours of the environments within which it operates †¦ or does it shape the values, attitudes, morals and behaviours of those who are exposed to it? Those who suggest that advertising ‘reflects’ the local culture or country believe that ads must ‘speak the local language’ and that if they don’t they would offend consumers who would purchase competitive products. Those who suggest that advertising ‘shapes’ local cultures and countries believe that how groups are portrayed in ads - stereotypical portrayal of women, minorities, the elderly or men - determines how these groups are treated and continue to be treated in society. Which side do you favour? Ask friends and family their opinions - you are guaranteed a lively debate. Unit 1 25 Researchers, academics and practitioners concerned about the increase in eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia have looked at how young women, especially in Western countries, form their visions of body perfection. Many point to the portrayal of women in the media as a primary influence. The women featured in fashion magazines and television ads all have perfect figures, hair and facial features - often achieved by liposuction, plastic surgery, silicone implants or very sophisticated photography techniques. These same women are presented in the ‘after’ pictures so favoured by exercise and diet companies. Consumers are encouraged to be dissatisfied with their current appearance, purchasing advertised products that promise them the results portrayed in the ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures. As Charles Revson, of Revlon Cosmetics, said, cosmetic manufacturers sell ‘hope in a bottle’. Consumers are led to believe ‘If I buy Estee Lauder products, I’ll look just like Elizabeth Hurley or Cindy Crawford’. However, they soon find out that even Cindy Crawford doesn’t look like Cindy Crawford without an army of hair stylists, makeup artists, wardrobe consultants, personal trainers and talented photographers. (Cindy Crawford has publicly stated ‘even I don’t look like Cindy Crawford when I wake up in the morning’! )Gossip magazines love to publish photos of celebrities without their makeup, illustrating just how different their public personae is to reality. Marketing creates offensive advertisements Some countries have ‘good taste’ or ‘public morals’ clauses within their legislation which allow them to respond to specific consumer complaints. For example, Seiko had to change its slogan ‘Man invented time; Seiko perfected it’ to ‘Man invented timekeeping; Seiko perfected it’ in Malaysia, when a Muslim holy man complained that God had invented time. Weet-bix, a breakfast cereal, faced public opposition in the late 1990s, eventually removing an outdoor billboard in Dunedin, New Zealand which showed beer being poured over the cereal with the slogan ‘As Kiwi as it gets’. In an interesting case in Australia in 1999, Toyota was given the right to use the word ‘bugger’ in its ads despite consumer complaints when the Advertising Council of Australia determined that ‘bugger’ was an acceptable word in everyday Australian communication. One company that walks a continuous ‘fine line’ relative to ‘good taste’ is Benetton, whose ads have featured urban violence and a dying AIDS patient. Benetton’s ads featuring a black woman breast feeding a white child, a black child made to look like a devil with the white child made to look like an angel, and a black and white man handcuffed together were attacked by US civil rights groups for promoting white racial domination. Why does Benetton continue to place these ads? Simply, they create interest among other media sources and lots of coffee break chatter. Can you think of examples of ads that have been pulled in Hong Kong after complaints about poor taste? 26 MKT B366 Marketing Communications Marketing creates advertisements linked to bad habits and intimate subjects Most countries now have legislation concerning the advertising of alcohol, cigarettes, children’s products, intimate personal care products and the professions. For example, in Canada, advertisements cannot show alcohol actually being consumed, presenting a creative challenge to advertising executives. In Queensland, Australia, after May 1, 2002, all cigarette advertising and promotions are banned. In most countries, intimate personal care items such as condoms and feminine hygiene products cannot be shown actually being used, again presenting challenges to the creatives. Advertising to children is unethical In Hong Kong, children may not be used in advertisements for alcoholic liquor or tobacco. Nor can an advertisement encourage children to ask parents for the product, imply that children who do not own the product are inferior, or encourage children to enter strange places or converse with strangers to collect coupons (Hong Kong Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority). Marketers prepare deceptive and misleading advertisements Marketers have to ensure they comply with local laws and regulations that dictate what is legal and illegal in terms of advertising content and placement. Most countries have well developed legislation and enforcement procedures concerning deceptive and misleading advertising. Advertising professional services is unethical Debate over allowing lawyers in the United States to advertise raged for many years. Most were concerned about the tactics that might be used and how they would affect the way the profession was perceived in society. During a recent trip to Canada, I saw a late night advertisement for a lawyer in Detroit who claimed ‘I’m an SOB but I’m your SOB’ - perhaps the industry was justified in their concern. Salespeople use deceptive practices What is your opinion of salespeople in general? Ask friends and family their opinions. For many consumers, the stereotype of the ‘unethical, high pressure used car salesperson’ applies to all salespeople. It is a common criticism that salespeople use high pressure, often deceptive tactics to get consumers to purchase the brand that is offering them the largest incentive. Many tourists have commented on the practices used by salespeople on the Golden Mile in Nathan Road, especially in terms of product features and international warranties. The Hong Kong Tourist Association hopes that tourists will patronize stores displaying their ‘red junk’ logos, indicating that the trader is a member of the HKTA and subject to its standards. Unit 1 27 What is interesting and somewhat ironic, is that while critics talk about unethical marketers, few comment on unethical consumers. The following list (Schiffman et al. 2001, 15) details some unethical consumer practices - can you think of others? shoplifting switching price tags returning clothing that has been worn abusing products and returning them as damaged goods redeeming coupons without the requisite purchase redeeming coupons that have expired returning clothing bought at full price and demanding a refund for the sales price differential returning products bought at sale and demanding the full-price refund stealing belts from store clothing cutting buttons off store merchandise returning partially used products for full store credit abusing warranty or unconditional guarantee privileges damaging merchandise in a store and then demanding a sales discount copying copyrighted materials (e. g. books, videotapes, computer software) without permission. Have you seen evidence or heard stories of such unethical behaviour? In the following reading, questions about ethics were asked of Hong Kong managers. You might find it interesting to answer these questions yourself, using a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being strongly agree and 5 being strongly disagree. Compare your answers to those of friends and family. Then compare all the answers with those found by Au and Tse. Reading 1. 1 (OUHK E-Library) Au, A and Tse, A (2001) ‘Marketing ethics and behavioural predispositions of Chinese managers in SMEs in Hong Kong’, Journal of Small Business Management, 39(3): 272. This article is available in the OUHK E-Library E-Reserve. (See the Course Guide section ‘E-Library E-Reserve readings’ for more information. ) 28 MKT B366 Marketing Communications Ethics across cultures The next article presents a good discussion of the ethical systems of China and the USA. How could international marketers in Hong Kong use the information contained in this article? Reading 1. 2 (OUHK E-Library) Pitta, D, Fung, H G and Isberg, S (1999) ‘Ethical issues across cultures: managing the differing perspectives of China and the USA’, Journal of Consumer Marketing, 16(3): 240–56. This article is available in the OUHK E-Library E-Reserve. (See the Course Guide section ‘E-Library E-Reserve readings’ for more information. ) Ethics and purchase behaviour The following reading asks whether a company’s ethics influence consumers purchasing behaviour. Do you think Hong Kong consumers are influenced by the ethical behaviour of a company? Have you seen evidence in Hong Kong of consumers boycotting companies accused of unethical practices? Please refer to Activity 1. 5 and then read the article by Carrigan and Attalla. Activity 1. 5 Your Managing Director has asked you to read the Carrigan and Attalla article ‘The myth of the ethical consumer - do ethics matter in purchase behaviour? ’ (Reading 1. 3) and advise him as to your opinion about whether consumers consider the ethical position of a company in their purchase decisions. Reading 1. 3 (OUHK E-Library) Carrigan, M and Attalla, A (2001) ‘The myth of the ethical consumer - do ethics matter in purchase behaviour’, Journal of Consumer Marketing, 18(7): 560–77. This article is available in the OUHK E-Library E-Reserve. (See the Course Guide section ‘E-Library E-Reserve readings’ for more information. ) Unit 1 29 Regulation of marketing communications by government Governments around the world have enacted legislation to control marketing efforts. Much of that legislation has been concerned with marketing communications, especially aspects of the promotional mix. We will discuss applicable international regulations throughout the course as we address each component. In the following reading, Clow and Baack look at how marketing communications are regulated in the United States. This does not form part of assessable material and we will be providing Hong Kong specific information to supplement this reading. However, it is worth reading to see how the world’s largest group of marketers are controlled. Reading Clow and Baack, 408–14. Hong Kong Government regulation of marketing The Hong Kong Government has enacted a large number of Ordinances that cover marketing activities from the Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance to the Undesirable Medical Advertisements Ordinance to the Sale of Goods Ordinance and Consumer Goods Safety Ordinance. As these carry the force of law, it is expected that Hong Kong marketers will comply. A full list of these Ordinances can be found on the Hong Kong Government website at . Absent from these ordinances however is specific legislation concerning deceptive, misleading and unfair practices in consumer transactions, which forms the cornerstone for consumer protection in countries such as Canada, the UK, Australia, the US and China. The Consumer Council Of particular interest is the Consumer Council Ordinance 1977 which formally incorporated the Consumer Council, established in 1974 to address public concern about inflationary prices and profiteering. The Council is funded by the Hong Kong Government via an annual Government subvention and its members are appointed by the Chief Executive of the SAR but retains total independence to formulate and implement policies. The Consumer Council ‘protects and promotes the interest of consumers of goods and services and purchasers, mortgagors and lessees of immovable property’ (www. consumer. org. hk/aboutus/ about_e. htm). 30 MKT B366 Marketing Communications The Council routinely conducts research on consumer policy providing advice to government, engages in consumer education, handles consumer complaints, monitors trade practices, encourages business and professional organizations to establish codes of practice and mediates disputes between consumers and service suppliers. The Council will also publicly name Hong Kong businesses that persist in malpractices despite Council intervention. The following reading is a press release that details the activities of the Consumer Council during 2006. Reading 1. 4 Consumer Council (2006) Press release, with appendix ‘Consumer complaint statistics for year 2004 to 2006’, January 4, at (Accessed on 18 July 2006). Notice the increase in consumer complaints, especially telecommunications ervices and equipment, and the Council’s efforts to encourage the adoption of codes of practice and consumer awareness of their rights. Activity 1. 6 You are discussing the role of governments in r egulating marketing practices with some fellow marketers from Canada and Australia. The Australian says ‘I can’t believe that Hong Kong does not have legislation concerning deceptive or misleading advertising or other deceptive marketplace practices - we’ve had it in Australia for years. ’ How would you respond? Activity 1. 7 Parents, teachers and governments have long been concerned about the impact of violence in television, movies and video games on children. Imagine that research published in The Scientist magazine indicated that children who watch more than one hour of television per day show an increased propensity toward violent acts and a desensitisation towards the portrayal of violence (e. g. laughing, enjoying or ignoring violent acts). Video games, many targeted specifically towards children, often advertise the level of violence in the game, knowing that more violent games sell better than less violent games. Unit 1 31 a Do you believe that advertising higher levels of violence breaches ethical guidelines? Do you believe that the advertising of video games specifically targeted to children should be regulated by the government? b 32 MKT B366 Marketing Communications Social responsibility ‘We have an obligation to give back to the communities that give us so much’ - Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald’s, 1955 ‘Our customers are proud to have us in the neighbourhood because we are a socially responsible company the world should be a better place because of McDonald’s. ’ - Chairman and CEO, Jack Greenberg, McDonald’s Vision Statement, 2000 (www. mcdonalds. com. /corporate/social/social. html) Why does Mc Donalds issue statements like the ones above? Why does McDonald’s strive to be a socially responsible company by sponsoring sports teams, providing free products to seniors, and supporting a broad range of charitable endeavours? In this section of the unit, we will look at how and why socially responsible marketing is used by marketers. The following reading discusses the concept of social responsibility and the benefits to be gained from engaging in positive and socially responsible marketing activities. Reading Clow and Baack, 384. Clow and Baack define social responsibility as ‘the obligation an organization has to be ethical, accountable and reactive to the needs of society’ (p. 384). Notice how they use the term ‘organization’ which not only includes businesses but non-profit organizations such as charities, hospitals and schools as well as governments and their services such as the police and the judiciary. The concept of social responsibility is based on the belief that society and organizations enjoy a symbiotic relationship - what is good for one is good for the other, what is bad for one is bad for the other. In the business world, social responsibility dictates that businesses not only determine the needs of consumers and satisfy them better than the competition but do so in a way that maintains the well-being of both the consumer and society as a whole. Socially responsible firms are more likely to survive over the long term as their activities generate good publicity and customer loyalty. Positive and socially responsible marketing activities Beyond doing no harm (not engaging in negative or destructive behaviour such as discrimination or pollution) companies now realize the benefits from engaging in positive actions. Two of these are of particular interest: Unit 1 33 cause-related marketing and green marketing. Cause-related marketing In cause-related marketing (CRM), a firm contributes to a particular cause, such as a charity, in direct proportion to specific consumer actions such as the purchase of the company’s product. Take the example of Sunraysia, which donates 25 cents to the Hong Kong Cancer Fund for every purchase of Suraysia prune juice. Reading Clow and Baack, 384–87. It is necessary to draw a distinction between CRM and corporate philanthropy because although they share some similarities as charitable activities, they differ in their objectives. Polonsky and Speed (2001, 1363) point out that corporate philanthropy is ‘founded on altruism, and involves the firm making a contribution of cash or kind, without an expectation of a tied benefit’. CRM, on the other hand is like sponsorship, and is ‘commercially motivated and involves the â€Å"giving† firm acquiring and leveraging the right to be associated with the recipient’ (Polonsky and Speed 2001, 1365). An example of sponsorship is the Standard Chartered Bank’s sponsorship of the Hong Kong Marathon. The following table summarizes the key features of corporate philanthropy, sponsorship and CRM programmes. Table 1. 1 Key features of corporate philanthropy, sponsorship and CRM programmes Activity Funding Resources Use of resources Corporate philanthropy Sponsorship Fixed None No commercial use made of association Fixed Association Association is used in attempt to change customer attitudes, behavioural intentions and behaviours Attitudes (positioning), behavioural intentions (loyalty and preference) and behaviours (sales) Indirect sales impact Exclusively to the sponsor CRM programme Variable possible capped Association Association is used to create a customer offer, linked to a specific contribution to the cause Behaviours (sales), behavioural intentions (loyalty and preference) and attitudes (positioning) Direct sales impact Split between the cause and the sponsor Key market outcomes Sales impact None None Revenue flows None (Polonsky and Speed 2001, 1365) 34 MKT B366 Marketing Communications According to Shimp (2000, 620), companies that engage in CRM can: enhance corporate or brand images; thwart negative publicity; generate incremental sales; increase brand awareness; reach new customer segments; broaden their customer base; and increase a brand’s retail merchandising activity. Companies are able to achieve these objectives because consumers hold favourable attitudes towards CRM efforts. One study reported that 83% of Americans feel more positive about companies that support causes they value and that 77% favour long-term corporate involvement with causes rather than short-term promotions (Shimp 2000, 621). One UK study (Brabbs 2000) found that: 88% of survey respondents had heard of CRM programmes, with the average UK adult being aware of at least four specific programmes; 87% of respondents reported that CRM positively affected their perceptions or behaviours; 48% of those who had participated in a CRM reported changing their purchase behaviour as a result of the CRM programme, either switching brands, increasing usage or trying new products/services; 80% of consumers surveyed indicated that CRM programmes would positively impact on their future attitudes and behaviours; and 67% believed that more companies should become involved with CRM, with 50% preferring to be told about CRM activities through television advertising, 42% through in-store advertising and 18% through print ads. Another UK study (Adkins 2002) reported that: 81% of consumers, when faced with equal price and quality, would more likely purchase the product associated with a cause they believe it; and 66% of consu mers would switch brands while 57% would change retail outlets to favour companies engaged in CRM, price and quality being equal. If similar studies were done in Hong Kong, do you think the statistics would vary dramatically? If so, why? It is important to ensure that there is a good fit between the charity and the target market for the product or service. For example, Avon is a major international supporter of Breast Cancer research with its Pink Unit 1 35 Ribbon promotions (www. avoncrusade. com). Would you consider this an appropriate fit? Given that Avon’s primary target market is female, the answer would be yes. You are likely familiar with specific Hong Kong examples of companies engaging in cause-related marketing efforts for charities. You may have participated in one of McDonald’s McHappy Days promotions where local celebrities serve customers and a percentage of sales is donated to Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities, it’s own charity division. This is an appropriate fit when you consider that one of McDonald’s main (if not its main) target market is children. Since its establishment in Hong Kong in 1988, this charity has raised millions in funding for local education and arts programmes such as the Spastic Association’s Kwai Sing School, civic and social services such as the Hong Kong Society for the Deaf, and health care and medical research programmes such as the Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society. The first Ronald McDonald House where the parents of critically ill children can stay while their children are in hospital opened in Hong Kong in 1996, funded in large part by McHappy Day promotions. All administrative costs for operating the charity are donated by McDonald’s Restaurants (HK) Limited, so all funds raised directly benefit the selected charities. If you visit the McDonald’s Hong Kong website (www. mcdonalds. com), and read the press clippings, you will see that McDonald’s also runs a global fundraising campaign called ‘World Children’s Day’ to help children in need around the world. Last year in Hong Kong, the World Children’s Day at McDonald’s 2005 programme ran from October 23 to November 20, with a Charity Kids Marathon, a Charity Sale, a Concert and a Gala Dinner. Funds raised from these events were donated to Ronald McDonald House Charities and the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF. The Charity Kids Marathon attracted 1,000 kids. Immediately after the Marathon, a Charity Sale was held at McDonald’s. For every purchase of an Extra Value Meal, McDonald’s donated 30 cents to the beneficiaries. Customers were also encouraged to purchase ‘I helped give a hand’ stickers. On 19 November 2005, Hong Kong’s most popular pop singers, including Leo Ku, Jan Lamb, Joey Yung, Eason Chan, Anthony Wong and Miriam Yeung, performed at the World Children’s Day at McDonald’s 2005 Concert to raise millions of dollars. A spectacular charity Gala Dinner on 20 November 2005 marked the culmination of World Children’s Day at McDonald’s 2005. A total of HK$3. million was raised from various McDonald’s initiatives for World Children’s Day 2005 to support children’s programmes run by Ronald McDonald’s House Charities (RMHC) and the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF, benefiting children in Hong Kong and aro und the globe. Endangered wildlife and organizations such as the WWF have also benefited greatly from cause-related marketing. For example, in the mid-1990’s the Mainland Cheese company in New Zealand engaged in cause-related marketing in support of the Yellow-Eyed Penguin, a native species facing habitat destruction. Each block of Mainland cheese had a label that could be cut off and submitted in groups of 10, generating a corporate donation. They also created a children’s club, the Mainland Penguin Pal Club, where in addition to the donation, children’s label submissions also entitled the child to selected penguin 36 MKT B366 Marketing Communications related merchandise. Children’s club members also received educational newsletters concerning penguin conservation efforts. Cadbury’s Australia donates a portion of the price of every chocolate bilby sold to the Save the Bilby Fund - bilbies, which are similar to rabbits, are indigenous to Australia but on the verge of extinction. In the mid 1990’s, Taikoo Sugar entered into a joint promotion with the World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong in support of the establishment of the Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park. Taikoo Sugar printed corporate sponsors names and the WWF panda logo on one side of their ugar packets, with a photo of endangered species on the other. 40% of the HK $5,000 sponsorship fee went directly to the WWF HK while the remainder was us ed to discount the sugar packets to encourage increased purchases by the general public. In this case, everyone benefited - Taikoo Sugar through increased sales, corporate sponsors by having their name linked with the WWF HK and increased public exposure, the WWF HK through increased donations - and the people of Hong Kong through the protection of the fragile marine environment of Sai Kung. Even efforts such as these are met with criticism as some contend that they are not social responsibility but public relations. They contend that these companies are not altruistic - truly concerned about the charities and their recipients - and do not do anything under the label of ‘social responsibility’ that does not have a potential benefit in terms of profit. When we consider that corporations are in the business of making sales and profits, it becomes obvious that there has to be some benefit back to the corporation or they would not be able to justify the costs. Whether it is to reinforce the company’s image as a good corporate citizen, improve consumer attitudes, or achieve sales related objectives (sales must be higher due to the positive link with the charity to justify the lower profit per unit after the donation), their activities must have a potential pay-off. For example, Colgate-Palmolive compares sales figures for the three weeks following any CRM campaigns in aid of the Starlight Foundation (grants wishes to seriously ill children) with sales figures from the previous six months to determine incremental profit directly related to its CRM activities (Shimp 2000, 621). However, it must also be remembered that there is a benefit to the company’s publics as well. Without corporate involvement, many of the cultural, social and charity services that enrich our lives would not be possible. Without corporate donations, many non-profit organizations would cease to exist or would have to reduce their level of community involvement. The following example illustrates how both corporations and charities benefit from cause-related marketing efforts. Cause-related marketing pays dividends for American Express When it became apparent that the Staute of Liberty required restoring, American Express (AMEX) jumped at the opportunity of becoming involved. However, this was not a gesture of pure philanthropy to the American people. The company had three specific objectives: Unit 1 37 1 2 3 To increase credit card usage among its current card holders. To encourage the acceptance of the card among merchants. To increase the company’s profile and derive image benefits that would lead to new members. The scheme involved AMEX giving one cent to the restoration fund for each US-based transaction, and $1 for each new card issued. The project raised $1. 7m for the project, while the company reported an increase in its credit card usage of 2. % on the prvious year, a greater acceptance of the card by merchants, and a public image of being more ‘responsible, public-spirited and patriotic’. (Meenaghan 1998, 14, cited in Pickton and Broderick 2001, 526) Activity 1. 8 Read the following case: In 2001, Projet Rescousse (Project Rescue) launched Rescousse brand beer in Quebec, Canada, followed in March 2002 by entry into the Ontario, Canada beer market. For each bottle of beer sold, RJ Brewers and its representative Premier Brands contributes a fixed amount to Wildlife Habitat Canada to preserve endangered species. Beer labels featured paintings of endangered species by a well known Canadian wildlife artist. In 2001, sales of the beer in Quebec raised more than $24,000 Cdn for endangered species. The Ontario launch was funded, in part, by a $20,000 Cdn grant from Environment Canada (federal government). A spokesperson for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, an organization promoting responsible alcohol consumption among young people stated ‘The federal government has no role in promoting an alcoholic beverage. The government’s role is to regulate, not promote alcohol. ’ A spokesperson for Environment Canada said ‘the project in no way endorses any form of alcohol abuse’ (Canada has extensive legislation concerning the sale and promotion of alcohol. For example, alcohol is sold t the retail level through provincial government controlled agencies only and, as mentioned earlier, advertisements cannot show alcohol actually being consumed. ) (Yourk 2002) Discuss this situation from the perspectives of ethics, social responsibility and cause-related marketing. Discu ss the impact of a comparable programme in Hong Kong. 38 MKT B366 Marketing Communications Green marketing Green marketing refers to the ‘development and promotion of products that are environmentally safe’ (Clow and Baack, p. 387). What started as a fringe political movement in Europe has now become mainstream as more consumers become aware of environmental issues and express willingness to purchase environmentally friendly products, even if prices are higher. In their article ‘Targeting consumers who are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products’, Laroche, Bergeron and Barbaro-Forleo report that recent surveys reveal that significant numbers of consumers are willing to spend up to 40% more for a ‘green’ product. This compares to 67% of consumers who reported a willingness to pay 5–10% more for ‘green’ products in 1989. Their research indicated that consumers willing to spend more for environmentally friendly products tend to be female, married, with at least one child living at home, put the welfare of others before themselves, believe that environmental problems are severe and place high importance on security. They also refuse to purchase products from companies accused of being polluters. Loblaw’s, a Canadian supermarket, was at the vanguard of green marketing in the early 1990’s, creating a line of environmentally friendly products under the brand name ‘Green’ with the slogan ‘Something can be done! ’ and packed in recycled materials. In their first year, ‘Green’ products generated nearly $52 million Canadian. One of the most interesting examples was the Green lightbulb that, over its extended life, would save consumers approximately $32 Cdn in energy and bulb replacement. Even though priced at ten times the price of conventional bulbs, Loblaws could not keep them in stock, so great was consumer demand. As an aside, Loblaw’s was one of the first supermarkets to charge for plastic carrier bags, hoping to encourage consumers to use more environmentally friendly bags or at least recycle plastic carrier bags. How do you think such an initiative would be viewed in Hong Kong? Another company that has made concern for the environment part of their corporate mission is The Body Shop which uses natural ingredients, earth-friendly manufacturing methods and environmentally friendly packaging. Information cards, window displays and in-store videos are used to educate consumers about the social and environmental effects of their purchasing decisions. Next time you visit the Body Shop, look for evidence of their commitment to the environment. Notice their range of endangered species soaps for children. When both Sydney (Summer 2000) and Beijing (Summer 2008) put in their winning bids to host The Olympic Games, a significant part of their appeal was their pledge to operate a ‘clean, green games’. Beijing had to take measures such as restricting the vehicles it allowed on its roads in the run-up to the Olympics to ensure it could fulfil its ‘green’ Olympic commitments. Unit 1 39 Have you seen evidence of green marketing in Hong Kong? You may find it interesting to survey friends and colleagues concerning their attitudes towards green marketing and its potential impact on their purchase behaviours. Activity 1. 9 Recent articles in the Hong Kong press have commented on the deteriorating state of Hong Kong’s harbour and waterways, in particular the impact on marine life of discarded consumer packaging. While your company was not named specifically, mention was made that your industry was a major offender and that a large proportion of the consumer packaging found in the water came from products such as yours. In a meeting with the accountants who have just crunched the numbers as to the increased costs of changing to more environmentally friendly packaging, the question is raised as to whether ‘green marketing’ efforts are really worth it. Discuss possible responses. 40 MKT B366 Marketing Communications Clow and Baack companion website The textbook also comes with companion website at (password not required). The student section of the website contains true/false and multiple-choice questions per chapter. These are self-marking and contain both hints and coaching comments. These questions are useful for testing your grasp of basic core concepts, which can be answered as many times per session and over as many sessions as desired. These questions can be particularly useful during revision as they will quickly tell you which concepts you understand and where review is needed. Essay questions and critical thinking exercises, many including Internet links are also provided per chapter, directly linked to the material covered. Unit 1 41 Summary Let’s go back to the objectives from the beginning of the unit and see how the material presented relates and where material relevant to each objective is found in the text. 1 Illustrate the communication process, using a diagram, and apply it in a given marketing situation. You should be able to provide a diagram that includes the key aspects of the communication process of sender/receiver, encoding/decoding, transmission device/communication channel, feedback and noise. Your answer should illustrate your understanding of what makes for effective communication and what can act as barriers to the process. Clow and Baack discuss communication on pages 26–32. Define integrated marketing communications, and discuss how it applies specifically to the development of promotional strategies. Clow and Baack define IMC as ‘the coordination and integration of all marketing communication tools, avenues and sources within a company into a seamless programme that maximises the impact on consumers and other end users at a minimal cost’ (p. 32). When applied to promotion, IMC results in ‘the brand speaking with one voice’. IMC is discussed on pages 32–37. 3 Describe, with pertinent Hong Kong examples, the major components of the promotional mix. Your answer should include advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, public relations, direct and online marketing. You should be able to provide Hong Kong specific examples. The components of the promotional mix were covered in B250 and are discussed throughout the text. 4 Explain the role played by the promotion mix in the overall marketing mix. Clow and Baack briefly discuss the role of promotion within the overall marketing mix on page 33. You should be able to discuss how promotion relates to the product, distribution (place) and pricing strategies and how each should be consistent with the other and aimed at the target market as per discussions in B250. 5 Outline the key components of integrated marketing communications. Clow and Baack discuss the key components of IMC on pages 32– 37. Figure 1. provides a useful overview of the key components and how they are presented in the text. 6 Evaluate the impact of information technology, changes in channel power, increases in competition, brand parity, consumer information integration and declining effectiveness of mass-media 42 MKT B366 Mar keting Communications advertising on the value placed on IMC programmes, providing Hong Kong specific examples. Your answer should illustrate how each of these factors have had a positive impact on the value placed on IMC programmes by marketers. You should be able to illustrate each of these factors with Hong Kong specific examples. These factors are discussed on pages 37–41 in the text. Discuss the phrase ‘think globally, act locally’ as it applies to globally integrated marketing communications programmes and illustrate using Hong Kong specific examples. Companies that ‘think globally, act locally’ use standardized marketing and communications strategies as much as possible (‘think globally’), recognizing that cultural and marketplace differences may require some adaptation on a country by country basis (‘act locally’). Clow and Baack discuss GIMC on page 41. 8 Evaluate critically the moral and ethical criticisms of marke ting communications. Many of the major ethical criticisms faced by marketers are discussed in the unit. You should be able to critically evaluate whether these criticisms are bona fide, advancing your own opinion. Explore the role to be played by governments in regulating marketing practices, providing Hong Kong specific examples. The unit notes provide information concerning Hong Kong laws as well as details about the Consumer Council’s activities. 10 Argue the case for a company adopting positive and socially responsible marketing activities and illustrate using Hong Kong examples. Your answer should illustrate that you understand the benefits in terms of brand image, consumer loyalty and sales performance that can result from positive and socially responsible marketing efforts such as cause-related marketing and green marketing efforts. Unit 1 43 References Adkins, S (2002) ‘Cause related marketing - profitable partnerships’ at (Accessed 26 Mar 2002). Au, A and Tse, A (2001) ‘Marketing ethics and behavioural predispositions of Chinese managers in SMEs in Hong Kong’, Journal of Small Business Management, 39(3): 272. Brabbs, C (2000) ‘Is there profit in CRM tie-ups? ’, Marketing, 16 Nov, 27. Carrigan, M and Attalla, A (2001) ‘The myth of the ethical consumer - do ethics matter in purchase behaviour’, Journal of Consumer Marketing, 18(7): 560–77. Clow, K E and Baack, D (2002) Integrated Advertising, Promotion, and Marketing Communications, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Hill, C (2000) International Business, Competing in the Global Marketplace, Boston: Irwin McGraw-Hill. Jain, S (1996) International Marketing Management, Ohio: South-Western College Publishing. Keegan, W (1999) Global Marketing Management, New Jersey: Prentice Hall International. Kotler, P, Ang, S H, Leong, S M and Tan, C C (1996) Marketing Management - An Asian Perspective, Singapore: Prentice Hall. Laroche, M, Bergeron, J and Barbaro-Forleo, G (2001) ‘Targeting consumers who are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products’, Journal of Consumer Marketing, 18(6): 503–20. Meenaghan, T (1998) ‘Current developments and future directions in sponsorship’, International Journal of Advertising, 17(1): 3–28. Pickton, D and Broderick, A (2001) Integrated Marketing Communications, London: Prentice Hall. Pitta, D, Fung, H-G and Isberg, S (1999) ‘Ethical issues across cultures: managing the differing perspectives of China and the USA’, Journal of Consumer Marketing, 16(3): 240–56. Polonsky, M and Speed, R (2001) ‘Linking sponsorship and cause related marketing: complementarities and conflicts’, European Journal of Marketing, 35(11/12): 1361–85. Schiffman, L, Bednall, D, Cowley, E, O’Cass, A, Watson, J and Kanuk, L (2001) Consumer Behaviour, Sydney: Pearson Education. Shimp, T (2000) Advertising and Promotion: Supplemental Aspects of Integrated Marketing Communications, Texas: The Dryden Press. 44 MKT B366 Marketing Communications Strauss, J and Frost, R (2001) Marketing on the Internet, 2nd edn, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Yourk, D (2002) ‘Message in a beer bottle’, The Globe and Mail, 27 Mar (Accessed online). Unit 1 45 Suggested answers to activities Activity 1. 1 The sender was HMV and its staff. The receivers were in-store customers, in-store browsers, concert and musical gathering attendees and the general public. The encoding process would have been the creation of the application forms, in-store promotions, advertisements and newsletter as well as the verbal communication from HMV staff. Various communication channels were used: in-store signs and displays for in-store browsers, personal face to face communication for in-store customers and concert attendees; and advertisements in the mass media for the general public. The decoding process would have occurred when receivers read the applications/in-store signs/newsletter or advertisements or listened to HMV staff. Feedback could take many different forms from going into the store specifically to ‘sign up’, to accepting or refusing to join when asked by staff, to comparing the number of vouchers handed out with the number redeemed to monitoring the exclusive members’ only special offers. Noise could also take many forms, from the advertising clutter in the newspapers/ magazines, the sensory overload in the store (all the signs/posters and music playing) to the sales and special offerings (including comparable programmes) from all competing retailers. Activity 1. 2 The expression is just a quick way of reinforcing that all forms of communication about a company’s brand must convey the same message to consumers. Many assume that the expression refers only to promotion - the most visible form of communication with consumers. It is important to remember however that product, place and pricing strategies also communicate messages to consumers. For example, the price charged for a particular product communicates quality information to consumers (high price = high quality; low price = low quality), helps consumers determine value for money decisions and reinforces the product’s position relative to the competition (e. g. igher or lower priced). You should remember from your introductory marketing course that all four components of the marketing mix - product, place, price and promotion - must be internally consistent (e. g. the price charged must reflect the features offered in the product) and aimed squarely at the intended target m arket. The promotion strategy must be consistent with the product, place and price strategies and each aspect of the promotional strategy (advertising, sales promotion, personal selling, public relations, direct and online marketing) must be internally consistent. This expression also reinforces the key feature of IMC, which is that all forms

Analysis of LinkedIn Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analysis of LinkedIn - Research Paper Example Current ratio- The firm’s current ratio is increasing and getting stronger as the year progresses. A ratio of above one indicates the firm can settle its short-term obligation within a financial year and still conduct its operation effectively. This is proven by the networking capital across the year which increases across the year. In the year 2012, the ratio was 2.45 it rose to 4.7 in the year 2014. Return on Assets- The value of assets owned by LinkedIn Corporation is increasing across the financial years that have been analyzed above. However, the return on this asset is decreasing. This simply means that the assets the firm have invested on are not been utilized to the maximum or the resources are in surplus. In the year 2014, the return was in the negative figure because the firm had incurred losses. The revenue generated across the three years was increasing as well as the costs for revenue generation. However, the rate at which the cost of revenue was increasing was hi gher than that of revenue being generated. This has to be taken into account because if this continues LinkedIn profits will be â€Å"eaten-up†. Equity ratio- This ratio indicates a firm dependence on debt to run its operations. From the above analysis, the equity ratio for LinkedIn is good because over 60% of the firm’s asset was financed by its shareholders. However, in the year 2014, the equity ratio dropped to 61.3% from 78.4 % in 2013. According to (Samuels, and Wilkes, 72), it indicates the firm had increased its borrowing.

PTC PROPOSAL Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

PTC - Thesis Proposal Example As compared to males, the study that was presented by Bartoshuk, Duffy and Miller (1994) strongly suggest that there is a higher taste sensitivity for PTC/PROP among the females. In line with this, Fareed, Shah and Hussain (2012) made a confirmation that there are literally more female PTC tasters as compared to male. Women in general can be classified as taster or non-taster of PTC. Specifically the main purpose of this laboratory proposal is to analyse the PTC threshold of my female classmates. As such, this study aims to answer the question as to whether or not ethnic or racial considerations could somehow affect the ability of women to taste PTC. Likewise, it will also answer whether or not PTC concentration affects the tasters’ and non-tasters’ ability to taste PTC. In other words, the proposed laboratory test will seek to address the following research hypothesis: The laboratory test is composed of two rounds. The first round will require each participant to taste each of the six (6) tasting solution at a lower concentration. The second round will require each participant to taste each of the six (6) tasting solution at a higher concentration. Regardless of age, a total of 20 female students will be invited to participate in the laboratory tests. To learn more about the health status of each participant, each one of them will be requested to check their history of illnesses (i.e. diabetes, COPD, sinusitis, etc.). Prior to test, each of the research participants will be instructed not to smoke, eat, or drink for at least an hour (Hong et al., 2005). In relation to age and ethnic or race, the PTC taster status, taste threshold, and taste recognition threshold will be measured in each participant. As such, participants who are able to recognize the bitterness of PTC solution at a concentration of < 1.80 x 10-4 M will be classified as PTC tasters (Hong et al., 2005). Prior to tasting each sample, each participant will be

Violet Crawley and Fitzwilliam Darcy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Violet Crawley and Fitzwilliam Darcy - Essay Example Violet Crawley is from a noble family but her family was impoverished. Her marriage brought her a noble title but little wealth since the Earldom was also impoverished. Her children married into money rather than nobility. She was against Robert’s engagement to Cora. This is because she had pride in nobility and not money (Fellowes, 2011). Violet discriminated people on the basis of social classes. Her granddaughter could not marry Mathew Crawley, the new heir of Earldom, since he did meet her expectations as he was from the upper middle class rather than nobility. She also refused to acknowledge the change in Mary’s inheritance which resulted in her forming an alliance with Cora Crawley, her daughter-in-law. Violet has many quarrels with Isobel Crawley. Violet, president the Downton Hospital, has complete control over the hospital’s chief doctor Richard Clarkson and the whole hospital in general. Mrs. Crawley started intimidating the doctor into applying modern medical practices. One of these practices was curing dropsy by administration of adrenaline. This was contradicting to the Countess of Dowager’s protest against administering adrenaline to cure a local farmer. The Countess pursues Clarkson and Isobel into the operation room to air her protests, where she witnesses the farmer being saved. The doctor is forced to appoint Isobel Chairman of the Board in order to prevent further, forcing pride ridden Violet to share power with Isobel (Fellowes, 2011). Violet remained a strong influence at Downton Abbey throughout World War One. On learning Matthew’s engagement to Lavinia Swire, she reacts in distaste as she watches Matthew, now an army captain, match. Rosamund and Violet scheme to intimidate Lavinia in cancelling her engagement to Matthew. They are especially motivated when Rosamund overhears Lavinia being threatened by Sir Richard about a political scandal. But Violet’s pride does not bear fruits because they both do not succeed in convincing Lavinia to end her engagement. When Isobel proposes to Cora that Downton Abbey be utilized as a convalescent dwelling for wounded soldiers, Violet reacts in disgust and with horror at the prospect of strangers living in the house. Cora phlegmatically reminds Violet that she no longer holds the title of Countess of Grantham. Therefore, Cora is the sole decision maker regarding issues of the house. Violet is accused of inability to communicate between social classes, instigating her to expose that she and Carson always had the first promenade at the servants’ ball. This illustrates Violet’s pride (Fellowes, 2011). At one point during the war, an exceedingly burned Canadian officer named Patrick Gordon goes to Downton to recuperate and impersonates Patrick Crawley, who ostensibly survived the Titanic, recuperated in Canada, and was involved in a deadly explosion in the war. Violet reacts with indignation, displaying her pride. When Sybil plans to push through with her marriage to the family chauffeur, Tom Branson, Violet and Robert attempt to persuade her out of it because it would be scandalous to the elite. After their unsuccessful attempt, Violet makes up details about Branson in order to minimize damages to the aristocracy. These details would seem more acceptable by other members of the aristocracy. This suggests a sense of pride in Violet and the aristocracy in

Internet Social Networking

Internet Social Networking The Value of Internet Social Networking in Business Introduction Prior to the arrival of computers, individuals who aspired to have success in their businesses clearly understood that business is about people thus they saw the importance of social networks. For instance, in the Victorian era, there were rampant uses of calling cards for requesting a woman of high social status to visit. These calling cards were relatively elaborate and could be match up to the featured pages in MySpace or any other internet social networking sites. The calling cards were essentially a means of self expression. Nevertheless they served a greater purpose in the social settings of the Victorian period. Calling cards were often times posted on the walls close to the house entrance. This made it possible for visitors to know which lady was from the social network that the lord of the house belonged to. If at all the visitor believed that one of the house hostesses had acquaintances with the high status social network then he would ask for introduction. Even more intere sting is fact that modern internet social networking site operates similarly as the callings card in the Victorian period. For example, Victorians received acceptance by adhering to the etiquette rules in the same way modern social networks adhere to certain rules. â€Å"Friend request† are similar to the Victorian calling cards since once online status determines whether you will be accepted in a certain click of friends. The 21st Centaury has witnessed a more advanced and developed function of social networks other than the usual circle of friends socialization. Professionals are increasingly discovering the application of internet social networking as a way of enhancing their businesses. Internet social networks center on building online communities composed of individuals with similar interests. These networks provide bases whereby people can interact. A great number of these social networks are web based.† Internet Social networks can be dated back to online communities in the likes of, The WELL which initially started operating in 1985, Theglobe.com of 1994 and Tripod in 1995† (Castells, 2003). These sites provided a platform whereby people can interact and share ideas through personal homepages and chat rooms. In spite of, the new inventions some closed down simply because they were not profitable. Other upcoming internet social networking inventions saw to it that more control of co nnectivity and content is given to users. With time emerging trends of internet social networks have developed. Several internet social networks namely MySpace, Facebok and Twitter and others have emerged as the trendiest since they have a wide range of users. Business Application of Internet Social Networks Technology has inherently proven that internet social networks can be applied to advance businesses. Over the course of time different business enterprises have rampantly adapted the new trends of using internet social networks in order to advance their businesses. This is mainly because social networks provide a base of connecting populace at minimal costs. They essentially act as a base whereby companies can relate to their customers. Modern social networking applications focus on people since business is mainly about people. â€Å"Enterprises are increasingly using consumer based technology in social networks to share information relating to their business operations since consumer based applications provide an easier and faster way of dispensing information† (Castells, 2003). Currently, large enterprises are employing these applications in order to standardize their technology practices. Business networking applications gather data and link its users to the pertinent contents. Business enterprises use the provided applications to expand their bases of clientele, associates and employees. Aspects that define business social networking include the available functionalities such as forum and blogs that enable businesses to interact with their clientele, the ability of the social networks to link with its users and the availability of the users. Examples of Internet Social Networks Used In Businesses Evidently, technological inventions are limitless as far internet social networks are concerned. There are a variety of social networks used in business that were before hand solely developed for social connections. More social sites are being developed while the previous sites are being modified so as to measure up with the needs and demands of users. Commonly used internet social networks in businesses include, Face book, Twitters, MySpace, Secondlife, World of warcraft, LinkedIn, Bebo, Orkut and Iphone among many others. These internet social networks have played great role in enhancing businesses since they provide the appropriate platforms for advertising, branding, marketing, training and conferencing among many other functions. Application of Twitter in Businesses. Twitter provides a blogging platform that enables enterprises to publish messages concerning their enterprises. Other than being a social utility it also enables the business management to connect with their clientele by giving certain business updates. Alternatively it enables clients to give feedbacks concerning certain goods or services. Twitter can also be used as a publicity tool for wide range of enterprises since it provides a base whereby business information can be published or accessed. Twitter has a unique marketing channel mainly due to its steady and active network, with help of this active network, businesses are able to easily connect their brands with potential and current clients. Furthermore they can receive feedbacks from their clients. The twitter marketing style is termed as a two-way audience involvement. Twitter provides a sound platform for airing job advertisements. Companies can send messages with recommendations of particular vacant posts. Interested end users can in turn respond to the advertisement either by applying for these posts online or by contacting the alleged company thus creating a job recruitment base. In a business setting Twitter can be applied to connect employees. â€Å"Twitter enables employees to easily network with each other especially when handling group projects, particularly in a case whereby other employees are in the field or working in a different business branch† (Brogan, 2007). This internet social network has live coverage features that can enable businesses to carryout detailed coverage of conferences, workshops, businesses events and real-time commentaries. â€Å"It also has features that can be used to give updates of business meetings or events amongst business associates and interested parties. Other functional features in Twitter include features of managing and analyzing time within a business setting† (Brogan, 2007). Application of LinkedIn in Businesses. LinkedIn is a business centered social networking base widely for professional networking. It enables its registered users to have contact details of their trusted business associates otherwise referred to as â€Å"connections†. LinkedIn provides a base whereby hiring business managers can find suitable employees. Alternatively job seekers through their existing connections can solicit for employment. It also provides a base for businesses to identify business opportunities by sharing ideas with their business connections. Features in this social network provide a platform for creating solid business relations (Brook, 2008). By using this social networking method, new businesses are given an appropriate base for marketing their brands, services and products through the present business connections. Different enterprises are able to connect and give ideas concerning their business activities. Application of MySpace in Businesses The MySpace internet social network provides a base where businesses can showcase an overview of their services and products. Businesses can list and explain their services and products to target audience. MySpace has features in which enterprises are enabled to design the brands that best suite the image of their businesses. It allows one to specify their corporate colors which in turn promote brand awareness. This internet social network has unique video features that can be utilized to increase business profitability. Businesses can form and upload commercials related to the types of services and products that they offer. These commercial video footages are then availed to end users. Business can upload footages that aim at influencing end users to try out their products or services. For instance, they can upload video footages that have interviews of their employees or satisfied clientele. MySpace blogs enable enterprises to create their own blog which can be simply accessed from their MySpace pages. These blogs provide appropriate bases for businesses to advertise since they list the labels of the current blogs posted by businesses. By the help of these blog features businesses can give regular updates on the promotions, new products, upcoming business events and services among many others. Application of SecondLife in Businesses The SecondLife network provides a base for enterprises to freely interact with their clients using a feature referred to as avatars. Companies can, advertise, post briefings of their services and merchandise. This network gives an invaluable advantage to businesses that incorporate virtual programs such as architectural design businesses and entertainment industries. It has a tri-dimensional program that enables its users to create virtual objects. Unlike other social networks Secondlife has an in-house currency referred to as the Linden dollar that can be used by a wide range of businesses to procure and sell virtual products such as jewelry, vehicles, clothes and objects of all kinds. This feature enhances trade amongst different businesses. The Linden dollars are bought by the normal dollar currency. This feature in second life has enabled companies to make profit and then convert the Linden dollars to normal currency. Real estates business, through the premium land membership program in Second life can easily carry out their normal transactions of buying, selling or renting properties. Businesses which have registered and have access to premium accounts can participate in these ventures. So as to participate and be registered as members enterprises are charged a small monthly after their emancipation they gain status in the SecondLife Network and are now referred to as residents. Residents in SecondLife can carryout transactions of buying, selling or renting property thus making profits without the involvement of brokers. Application of Facebook in Businesses Facebook is one of the widely used social networks not only for social connections but also in the business context. Using appropriate combination of apps available in Facebook features businesses can be monitored from the Facebook profiles. With the slideshare features in Facebook enterprises are enabled to upload power points presentations, PDF files or OpenOffice so as share information with other end users. This is an elaborate method of spreading information to business associates, employees and clients once at the touch of a button. The free conference facets in Facebook allow businesses to organize meetings, by using conference calls. Individuals can set up meetings dates from the confines of their residence, offices or anywhere. Skype and VoIP services in Facebok enable one to make free and quick connections to the needed people thus prompting the upcoming meetings. â€Å"Facebook also has up to standard video base that allow companies to upload their video clip with contents aimed at marketing their products. Clients and potential customers are briefed each time new video clips are uploaded this helps them to keep track with the transitional business dealings† (Jantsch, 2008). Depending on the size of a particular business Facebook provides an elaborate platform for a number of advertisements. Companies can formulate their advertisements and choose the locations to air their advertisements. Other than advertisements facebook provides a good base for companies to endorse their brands using features such as myblogs. Compared to the traditional methods of advertisement, advertising through facebook can cover a wide area base at minimal costs. Another way that businesses can advertise their trademarks using facebook is by posting their business cards in their homepages, each time end users visit the alleged homepage they are more acquainted with the services or products offered by that business. Companies can take advantage of features in face book to attract potential customers. Search feature in face book can allow businesses to find out the websites regularly visited by their potential customer and then use this information to create links between their pages of advertisements and the sites regularly visited by these clients. â€Å"Interested end users in turn respond to the showcased advertisement pages. Other than tracing potential clients search options in facebook can be used by businesses to send updates or keep track of their regular clients† (Jantsch, 2008). Facebook provides a platform whereby companies can form stronger relationships with their audiences and clients. This is courtesy of the two way interactive features present in facebook applications. Clients can give feedbacks regarding their approval or dissatisfaction in the purchased products or rendered services. This in turn helps the alleged companies to attend to the grievances of the customers, clarify issues, change or better their services. In a business setting facebook features can be used to enhance team work especially in a case whereby the alleged business has branches in different locations. Employees can share ideas and keep each other posted on the tasks at hand simply by posting information on the facebook walls. Business Value of Internet Social Networking Social networking has proven to be a current method of growing and promoting profitability in both big and medium sized enterprises. A number of people use social networking sites such as LinkedIn to advance their careers which is quite vital during the inflexible economic times. Several business corporations use these social networking sites as marketing basis and public relations communications. With the rampant use of online facilities these social networks have proven to be more effective in marketing compared to the traditional radio and television mediums of marketing. These networking sites have been not only used to create company brands but also to cultivate productivity. A wide range of businesses are finding it more easy and affordable to create their brands in these social networking sites rather than other traditional bases. Hiring processes in business has become easier, cost effective and less time consuming due to the available options in internet social networks. Prior to the formation of social networks businesses incurred a lot of expenses in the recruitment processes of its staff. Scores of time ware as well used up during the course of interviewing and short listing. However with the current trends of social networks business administrators can carryout out staff recruitments easily at minimal costs. This is mainly as a result of the fact that social networks reach a wide range of people in little time and are generally cheap as far as advertising is concerned. The goal of many businesses is centered on building customer loyalty this can be achieved through strengthening the relationship between the clients and the business. Internet social networks have enabled businesses to build solid relationship with its clients thus ensuring customer loyalty which in turn promotes the profitability of the business. By using internet social networks such as Twitters, MySpace and Face book which have a two way audience, businesses have been enabled to interact with their clientele. They are more capable of establishing whether the client requests have been realized. Internet social networks have increased the marketing power of businesses by enhancing viral marketing and communications between customers. For instance social networks such as twitter and facebook allow its end users to create â€Å"product craze groups† that mainly centre on airing feedbacks about a particular product. These peer-to-peer customer groups lower the costs of customer support groups. Social networks have contributed to teamwork in the business workforce. They have enabled employees to team up and share ideas even when they are in different localities. This has yielded heightened innovations, as presently witnessed, more businesses are coming up with outstanding inventions that have made life easier. â€Å"These networks have as well contributed to the making of better decisions in companies this is as a result of the cross functional inputs and consultations. Social networks have as well increased communications between companies and their employees thus promoting solid work relationships† (Happe, 2007). Furthermore social networks have played a great role in coordinating easy communications between businesses partners, consultants and developers this has in turn enabled some companies to realize a speedy cross-company achievements. Sales of some companies have increased due to the real-time market collaboration and capacities found in internet social networks.† These networks have also enabled the creation of interdependent links of business partners resulting to an increase in the profit net of business that participate in these links through the help of internet social networks† (Happe, 2007). Evidently, internet social networks have proven to be invaluable to Businesses. Initially the application of social networks in businesses was relatively minimal. However a wide range of business enterprises have discovered the immeasurable benefits of being linked to these networks this explains the popularity and rapid increase of users that these networks currently experience. Nevertheless with the dynamic and ever changing market internet social networks are being modified in order to meet the standards of its users and generate market growth in the coming decades. Shortcomings of Internet Social Networks in businesses. Internet social networks are generally advantageous in business settings however there are some risks involved that should be careful weighed by businesses enterprises before making links. Companies use various social networks tools to discuss business agendas however these tools are not available to companies because they are more customer oriented and have been taken up independently by small fractions of people within the business settings.† Since business cooperates cannot regulate their uses certain risks could be involved. For instance clients may be thwarted if their expectations are not met â€Å"(Happe, 2007). The on going increase of internet social networks in businesses may cause a sudden urge for businesses to adopt their functionality. This will give the IT departments challenging tasks of incorporating social networking applications and setting them up in the entire enterprise so as to meet the needs of partners, employees and clients. IT departments will face an even tougher task of managing the operations of these social networks. Most businesses face the risk of using a lot of resources to employ these technologies and then later discover that they are not profitable to their model of business. Notwithstanding, the fact that applications in social networks allow, users to share information, the policies of a given organization will determine the manner in which certain information are shared. Furthermore many companies fear losing control of the information shared thus they hold back from using social networks. Enterprises that dread contents that are customer generated may keep away from social networking links inhibiting inter-independent cooperations in social networks. Conclusion The business world, believes in the concept of â€Å"business is all about the people†. Internet social networks provide an elaborate platform for businesses to make connections and enhance their net profits. The application of the various internet social networks in businesses is invaluable since it enables businesses to easily market, advertise, promote brands and carryout trainings among many other things. Companies are increasingly adapting the applications provided in these networks in order to enhance their businesses. In as much as these networks are beneficial to businesses certain risks are involved however they do not outweigh the value of internet social networking in businesses. References Brogan, C. (2007). 50 Ideas of Using Twitter for Business. Retrieved on 19 July 2009 Brook, R. (2008). LinkedIn for Small Businesses and Enterprises. Retrieved on 19 July 2009 Castells, M. (2003). The Internet Galaxy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Happe,R. (2007).TheBusinessValueofSocialNetworking.Retrievedon19July2009