Evaluate Bribery in the context of International Strategic Marketing Essay - 1

Evaluate Bribery in the context of International Strategic Marketing - Essay Example in -- in other words, to "do as the Romans do." When a corporate official is faced with real situations abroad, this advice can give rise to conflicts and ambiguity, when actual situations require responses which are incompatible with the ethical norms in the home country. Payment of a tip to a government official or employee in the home country intended to facilitate licensing can be considered bribery, and therefore subject to legal consequences, at home; however, in a foreign country it may be a standard operating procedure that can facilitate and expedite action. The cost of refusing to comform to local practice can be result in significant losses which are disproportionate in relation to the small amount of "bribe" money. The international marketer can face a difficult dilemma when he has to respond to situations where there is no local law, where local practices forgive a certain behavior, or the companywilling to â€Å" do what is necessary† is favored over the company that refuses to engage in practices that are not ethical. The issue of bribery and corruption is not extensively covered in international or global marketing textbooks. The subject is often located under the rubric of legal environment (subtopic: ethics and regulations); cultural environment, (as in Hill 2005; Verna and Sarathy 1993). Or it is discussed as part of international promotions (Verna and Sarathy). For the most part the subject presents the the relevant US statute (FCPA) and analyzes its features and implications for the business person and marketer. A more comprehensive treatment, including its history and philosophical basis is found in textbooks dealing with the business environment (such as Baron 1997) and legal environment (such as Jennings 1997). This study will deal with the issue of bribery from the Western viewpoint, particularly that of the United States, being the first country to enact a law prohibiting its practice by its companies abroad. The Foreign Corrupt

Major Reflective Essay Example for Free

Major Reflective Essay I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in the study of Business, Management and Economics concentrated in Accounting at Empire State College. I work full-time as private nurse assistance due to my present job. If I condense all my assumptions and expectations for the time being, I could say that my nearest and primary goal is to earn the degree and be a recognized expert in my chosen field. Here is how I narrated my goals in my previous paper; I have enrolled at the degree course with an aim to achieve my goals in the near future, to be well educated and knowledgeable in many areas, to restore my confidence to continue learning throughout my life, to open my own business preparing taxes in the next five years or be a controller of a company, and build a degree that will qualify me for many job opportunities, to increase my skills and broaden my abilities towards my future, to learn a variety of skills and techniques to help others as well, to work with people, as I enjoy working with them, and set a great example for my daughter which I had right after high school. I want my daughter to know that a college education is important to get what you want in life. As I advanced in my readings I realized that the list of my goals is huge, very obscure and not regulated. I repeated my goals in paraphrased sentences when I spoke about learning and development, I had contradicting concepts when I mentioned about opening my own business and still being qualified for many job opportunities, I related enjoyment with working with people, and I allocated very small portion to my daughter, again, linking my care towards her to my learning and hard working experience. I am undergoing serious reflections while grouping and formulating my goals into four sections; learning, working, family and social life. In my previous statements I had only learning and working in my mind, the words â€Å"family† and â€Å"social life† were uttered, but meant â€Å"working† and â€Å"learning†. At this stage I put the first three are on the same level, and still downgrade â€Å"social life†. I experienced a significant breakthrough during my readings on time management, correlations of work and social life, division of life between career and family. First of all the studies I read, the facts and figures from the history, the revolution in gender concept helped me to view the human life from a wide range of angels. (Kalleberg 2004) What does career mean for people? Is it for the well being of the family, or for the self? What is the secret of simple human happiness; in career advancement, learning, discovery, or love and warmth in the family? (Harvard Business School Press 2000)Those were the questions that I rose while reading information about increasing workload and learning needs, and decreasing marriage and birth rates in our society. The current economy rapidly changes, and this is the reason I wanted to be qualified in many job qualifications, which is practically extremely difficult. The background of this behavior is the insecurity in my future life. Shift of age groups in management greatly concerns me when I am doing a long term planning. Although I am open for learning, I can hardly imagine how I can accommodate myself in the employment market when I am over 40 and less capable of acquiring new knowledge and new skills. (Kalleberg 2004) I realized that my choices should be very limited and meet my learning and working expectations and abilities. I have to consider my career plans in the background of my social and family life. I should have in mind that in a few years I will have to reshape my routine day to day tasks in order to be physically more available for my daughter when she steps the path of learning and self-development. She will not be able to take my best example in learning and working, as she will not see me in the learning and working atmosphere, but will have an evening mother, tired and eager to get rid of her questions as soon as possible. The two time management exercises greatly helped me to experience extension of time (clock time) and full satisfaction after completing a task (event time). (Levine 1998) I am more likely to use the event time, but clock time is essential for the busy life I have already chosen. Although, it doesn’t mean I will not enjoy my weekends beyond any time. My ideal concept of life will be to master using the three categories in different circumstances, or even bind them all together and experience beyond-time feeling during 15 min. coffee breaks. I got very concerned when I assumed that I have put my family and individual values aside. I realized that in order to develop my long term plans I have to study other sides of human nature as well; how the endless working and learning atmosphere may influence on my physical and mental health, what personal problems may arise in my life, and how it my affect on my socialization skills. And finally, how the short and long term planning can be best practiced to contribute to a creation of self reliant and happy old age life? I feel the need to explore human nature and life stories, and get skills on how to save time for things that are more valuable for me. The final conclusion I had from this course is that I have to consider investing time as if I invest money. Investment in my professional development should have tangible outcomes in securing a dignified life for me and my family. This vision should guide me in any minor and major task I take over. Bibliography Harvard Business School Press. Harvard Business Review on Work and Life Balance . Perseus Distribution Services, 2000. Kalleberg, Cynthia Epstein and Arne. Fighting For Time. Russell Sage Foundation Publications , 2004. Levine, Robert V. A Geography of Time. Basic Books, 1998.

Graphology :: Handwriting School Education Essays

Graphology Introduction The belief that handwriting is a sign of the inner personality is very old. The first serious attempt to analyze handwriting seems to have been that of Camillo Baldi, an Italian scholar, who published a book on the subject in 1622. As literacy spread, handwriting analysis became popular, being practiced as an art form by such literary figures as Goethe, Poe, the Brownings and Dickens. Jean Hippolyte Michon coined the term "graphology" in 1875. Michon systematized handwriting analysis by associating hundreds of graphic signs with specific personality traits. Around the turn of the century, the French psychologist Alfred Binet performed several experiments with handwriting analysis as a device for testing personality. Binet claimed that handwriting experts could distinguish successful from unsuccessful persons with high accuracy. The German school of handwriting analysis, led by Ludwig Klages, developed a subjective and esoteric approach to graphology, and apparently never even attempted experimental verification of its claims. There is today no single theory or method that dominates graphology. The French school concentrated on isolated signs as specific indicators of personality, and the Germans sought to make subjective interpretations based on a total impression of a person's handwriting. In 1929 M. N. Bunker founded "graphoanalysis" as a compromise between these two extreme positions The language and techniques of graphoanalysis seem to be more or less the common graphological practice in the United States today. (Bunker 1971). Bunker founded the International Graphoanalysis Society, which now offers an 18-month correspondence course for analysts. The society is based in Chicago and claims 10,000 active members. The Institute of Graphological Science in Dallas also offers courses and accreditation in graphology, but it is not affiliated with the Graphoanalysis Society. Unless indicated otherwise, I will use the term "graphologist" to refer to a practitioner of any school of handwriting analysis for per sonality assessment. Graphological technique Even though there is no canonical school of graphology, some discussion of the practice may be helpful. Remember that the basic assumption underlying graphology is that handwriting is an expression of the personality; hence, a systematic analysis of the way a person forms words and letters will reveal traits of personality. The graphologists are fond of repeating, "Handwriting is brain writing." Graphologists look for such features as the slant of characters, the size of individual letters, angularity and curvature, and such non-graphic features as the pressure of upward and downward strokes. In most systems, the slant of the letters is very important.

Jail and Prison Essay

Many people in the United States do not know that there are differences between jail and prison and what they are. Local jurisdictions, such as counties and cities, use jails to detain offenders for short periods of time. A prison, or penitentiary, is controlled by the state, and is used to detain convicted criminals for longer duration (Schmallenger, 2011). A jail is designed for short term offenders, and has more amenities than a prison. Jails house individuals who have been convicted to serve a short sentence, usually one year or less, detain individuals awaiting trial, waiting to pay bail or denied bail, and detainees held on suspicion of committing a crime. Most jails are designed to hold a very small number of criminals, and have low security when compared to prisons. As an example, the Durango Jail in Phoenix, Arizona, houses approximately 2,214 inmates. They provide a general-purpose day room area with seating areas, and a bathroom area with sinks, toilets, and showers, and have two large outside areas for recreation. The jail also includes a medical clinic, chapel and education classrooms where inmates can attend scheduled religious and educational programs throughout the day (â€Å"Mcso†, 2013). Jails play an important role in the criminal justice system, and without them, there would not be a place to hold these short term inmates and offenders. A prison is much larger than a jail, and capable of handling far more prisoners. The prisoners are typically categorized and separated on the basis of the types of crimes that they have been convicted of as a safety precaution, and there are three types of prisons: minimum security, medium security, and maximum security. Minimum security inmates often have private rooms and have the ability to walk around more freely, as well as commissary visits to purchase candy and tobacco. Medium security prisons are more dorm-like and have walled recreation areas. Maximum security prisons have more barriers, towers, armed guards, and inmates have far less free time and open areas. According to â€Å"Arizona Department of Corrections† (2013), the Tucson Prison Complex in Tucson, Arizona, currently has a total population of approximately 3,700 inmates and a capacity to hold up to 5,170 inmates. Amenities include exercise areas, common areas for eating and socializing in lower security areas, church facilities, and an educational facility (Schmallenger, 2011). Because of the long duration of most prison sentences, a complex social, and political structure arises among the prisoners. Prisoners form cliques and strive to create their dominance inside the fences and walls. Prison culture and subculture affect the daily lives of inmates from the moment they step foot in to a prison. Inmates are defined by their position, or hierarchy, and are fueled by having power over others and their reputation is at stake. Bartering items such as tobacco, food, drugs and makeshift weapons is a way of gaining power, as well as using sexual force and dominance (Schmallenger, 2011). Groups are formed, gangs are created and multiplied, and are often based on race, ethnicity, religion and who you were involved with outside of the prison gates. Due to these subcultures, violent crimes occur, the STD rate increases and the prison medical costs increase. Placing offenders on probation or parole may effect the statistics, but not by much, as occurrences and violence are always ongoing. Probation, an alternative form of sentencing, allows convicted offenders to avoid jail time. They are released back into the community, but must follow a strict set of rules. Rules can include curfew, maintaining a job, and checking in with a probation officer regularly. Probation is a beneficial tool for the community, as it allows offenders to become positive role models in society by participating in community service as well as saving tax payer dollars on potentially unnecessary prison costs. Parole is governed by the executive branch and is the conditional release of a convict who has served part of his term in prison (University of Phoenix, 2011). The primary purpose is to return offenders gradually to productive lives and are usually granted by a parole board to a prisoner with a good record and good conduct while in prison. Sentencing offenders to probation or releasing individuals on parole can free up thousands of dollars annually, as it can cost anywhere from $12,000 to $60,000 per year to house an inmate (CNN Money, 2013). There are also a few other alternatives to probation and parole that are also beneficial, such as drug treatment facilities, house  arrest and electronic monitoring, halfway houses, boot camp prisons, and work-release programs. Jails and prisons, as a part of the criminal justice system, play an important role in society. By deterring crime, securing criminals, and attempting to rehabilitate those who have broken the law, they not only educate society, but make an example of those who successfully have completed sentencing and rehabilitation and have made themselves flourishing products of society. References MCSO. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.mcso.org/JailInformation/Durango.aspx Schmallenger, F. (2011). Criminal Justice Today. An Introductory Text for the 21st Century (11th ed.). : Prentice Hall. University of Phoenix. (2011). CJi Interactive. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, CJA204 website. Arizona Department of Corrections. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.azcorrections.gov/prisons/Prisca_Prisons_Tucson.aspx CNN Money. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.money.cnn.com/infographic/economy/education-vsprisoncosts/

Care for the physical and nutritional needs of babies and young children Essay

When planning meals for young children it is best to meet their nutritional needs. Each meal should be the right consistency for the child and include all of the major food groups. There are five food groups, bread, cereals and potatoes (starchy food), fruit and vegetables, milk cheese and yoghurt, meat, fish eggs, beans, lentils (protein) and foods high in fat and sugar. When planning a meal the fruit and vegetables should be served at each meal and should try and have five servings of either each day. Milk cheese and yoghurts should be served three times a day and bread and cereals either as a snack such as bread sticks or as an accompaniment to a meal. Meat, fish or a vegetarian option should be served three times a day. Foods which are high in fat and sugar can be included every day in addition to the other food groups but one a child is 2 years old you can gradually lower the fat in their diet. All of the five food groups combined will give the nutrients required for a healthy balanced diet. Young children should eat according to the appetites and not portion sizes. It is good to introduce new foods to children and encourage them to try these and let the parents know what meals the children have tried to encourage a large choice of different foods. You also need to be aware of any cultural diets that may need extra consideration. Tamara Wright CYPOP 2: Care for the physical and nutritional needs of babies and young children 6.2 Some children may suffer some allergies or intolerance to foods. A child with a server allergy to nuts may react even if someone else in the room has a bar with nuts in depending on the severity of the allergy. The child may react in various ways such as swelling of the skin or a rash or start to be unable to breath easily. All instructions received from carers regarding their children should be advised to all staff and in areas such as the kitchen a photo of the child with their allergy written in large should be displayed so everyone who may be serving the child food is aware. It is best that children under 1 year are not given cows milk to drink because their digestive system cannot cope with it. Also avoid with baby’s shark, swordfish and marlin because it contains high levels of mercury and this can affect the baby’s growing nervous system. Avoid raw shell fish to reduce the risk of developing food poison. Foods that are low-fat, low calorie and high in fibre foods are not suitable for babies as they needs small portions that contain lots of nutrients and calories. Nuts should not be given to children under 5 years as they can choke on them. If there is a history of a allergy of peanuts in the family then this should be checked by a doctor. As with any type of allergy it can lead to a severe reaction, or possibly an anaphylactic shock and will need to be treated at hospital or immediately with an Epi pen. Some children have a reaction to eggs whether they are cooked on uncooked. Eggs may contain bacteria if not cooked correctly this can lead to food poisoning.

Olmec Religion - the First Mesoamerican Civilization

Olmec Religion - the First Mesoamerican Civilization The Olmec civilization (1200-400 B.C.) was the first major Mesoamerican culture and laid the foundation for several later civilizations. Many aspects of Olmec culture remain a mystery, which is not surprising considering how long ago their society went into decline. Nevertheless, archaeologists have been able to make surprising progress in learning about the religion of the ancient Olmec people. The Olmec Culture The Olmec culture lasted roughly from 1200 B.C. to 400 B.C. and flourished along Mexicos Gulf coast. The Olmec built major cities at San Lorenzo and La Venta, in the present day states of Veracruz and Tabasco respectively. The Olmec were farmers, warriors and traders, and the few clues they left behind indicate a rich culture. Their civilization collapsed by 400 A. D. - archaeologists are unsure as to why - but several later cultures, including the Aztec and the Maya, were profoundly influenced by the Olmec. The Continuity Hypothesis Archaeologists have struggled to put together the few clues that remain today from the Olmec culture which vanished well over 2,000 years ago. Facts about the ancient Olmec are hard to come by. Modern researchers must use three sources for information on the religion of ancient Mesoamerican cultures: Analysis of relics including sculpture, buildings and ancient texts when availableEarly Spanish reports of religious and cultural practicesEthnographic studies of modern-day traditional religious practices in certain communities Experts who have studied the Aztecs, Maya and other ancient Mesoamerican religions have come to an interesting conclusion: these religions share certain characteristics, indicating a much older, foundational system of belief. Peter Joralemon proposed the Continuity Hypothesis to fill in the gaps left by incomplete records and studies. According to Joralemon there is a basic religious system common to all Mesoamerican peoples. This system took shape long before it was given monumental expression in Olmec art and survived long after the Spanish conquered the New Worlds major political and religious centers. (Joralemon quoted in Diehl, 98). In other words, other cultures can fill in the blanks in regards to Olmec society. One example is the Popol Vuh. Although it is normally associated with the Maya, there are nevertheless many instances of Olmec art and sculpture that seemingly show images or scenes from the Popol Vuh. One instance is the nearly identical statues of the Hero Twins at t he Azuzul archaeological site. The Five Aspects of Olmec Religion Archaeologist Richard Diehl has identified five elements associated with Olmec Religion. These include: A cosmos which identifies the socio-cultural context within which Gods and man interactedDivine beings and gods who controlled the universe and interacted with menA shaman or priest class who acted as intermediaries between the common Olmec people and their gods and spiritsRituals enacted by shamans and/or rulers that reinforced the concepts of the cosmosSacred sites, both natural and man-made Olmec Cosmology Like many early Mesoamerican cultures, the Olmec believed in three tiers of existence: the physical realm they inhabited, an underworld and a sky realm, home of most of the gods. Their world was bound together by the four cardinal points and natural boundaries such as rivers, the ocean and mountains. The most important aspect of Olmec life was agriculture, so it is no surprise that the Olmec agricultural/fertility cult, gods and rituals were extremely important. The rulers and kings of the Olmec had an important role to play as intermediaries between the realms, although it is unknown exactly what relationship to their gods they claimed. Olmec Deities The Olmec had several deities whose images repeatedly appear in surviving sculptures, stonecarvings and other artistic forms. Their names have been lost to time, but archaeologists identify them by their characteristics. No fewer than eight regularly-appearing Olmec deities have been identified. These are the designations given to them by Joralemon: The Olmec DragonThe Bird MonsterThe Fish MonsterThe Banded-eye GodThe Maize GodThe Water GodThe Were-jaguarThe Feathered Serpent Most of these gods would later figure prominently in other cultures, such as the Maya. Currently, there is insufficient information about the roles these gods played in Olmec society or specifically how each was worshiped. Olmec Sacred Places The Olmecs considered certain man-made and natural places sacred. Man-made places included temples, plazas and ball courts and natural places included springs, caves, mountaintops and rivers. No building easily identifiable as an Olmec temple has been discovered; nevertheless, there are many raised platforms which probably served as bases upon which temples were built of some perishable material such as wood. Complex A at La Venta archaeological site is commonly accepted as a religious complex. Although the only ballcourt identified at an Olmec site comes from the post-Olmec era at San Lorenzo, there is nevertheless much evidence that the Olmecs played the game, including carved likenesses of players and preserved rubber balls found at the El Manatà ­ site. The Olmec venerated natural sites as well. El Manatà ­ is a bog where offerings were left by the Olmecs, probably those who lived at San Lorenzo. Offerings included wooden carvings, rubber balls, figurines, knives, axes and more. Although caves are rare in the Olmec region, some of their carvings indicate a reverence for them: in some stonecarvings the cave is the mouth of the Olmec Dragon. Caves in Guerrero state have paintings inside which are associated with the Olmec. Like many ancient cultures, the Olmecs venerated mountains: an Olmec sculpture was found close to the summit of the San Martà ­n Pajapan Volcano, and many archaeologists believe that man-made hills at sites such as La Venta are meant to represent sacred mountains for rituals. Olmec Shamans There is strong evidence that the Olmec had a shaman class in their society. Later Mesoamerican cultures which derived from the Olmec had full-time priests who acted as intermediaries between the common people and the divine. There are sculptures of shamans apparently transforming from humans into were-jaguars. Bones of toads with hallucinogenic properties have been found at Olmec sites: the mind-altering drugs were presumably used by shamans. The rulers of Olmec cities probably served as shamans as well: rulers were likely considered to have a special relationship with the gods and many of their ceremonial functions were religious. Sharp objects, such as stingray spines, have been found at Olmec sites and were most likely used in sacrificial bloodletting rituals. Olmec Religious Rituals and Ceremonies Of Diehls five foundations of Olmec religion, the rituals are the least known to modern researchers. The presence of ceremonial objects, such as stingray spines for bloodletting, indicate that there were, indeed, important rituals, but any details of said ceremonies have been lost to time. Human bones - particularly of infants - have been found at some sites, suggesting human sacrifice, which was later important among the Maya, Aztec and other cultures. The presence of rubber balls indicates that the Olmec played this game. Later cultures would assign a religious and ceremonial context to the game, and it is reasonable to suspect that the Olmec did as well. Sources: Coe, Michael D and Rex Koontz. Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs. 6th Edition. New York: Thames and Hudson, 2008Cyphers, Ann. Surgimiento y decadencia de San Lorenzo, Veracruz. Arqueologà ­a Mexicana Vol XV - Num. 87 (Sept-Oct 2007). P. 36-42.Diehl, Richard A. The Olmecs: Americas First Civilization. London: Thames and Hudson, 2004.Gonzalez Lauck, Rebecca B. El Complejo A, La Venta, Tabasco. Arqueologà ­a Mexicana Vol XV - Num. 87 (Sept-Oct 2007). P. 49-54.Grove, David C. Cerros Sagradas Olmecas. Trans. Elisa Ramirez. Arqueologà ­a Mexicana Vol XV - Num. 87 (Sept-Oct 2007). P. 30-35.Miller, Mary and Karl Taube. An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya. New York: Thames Hudson, 1993.

Bootlegging Essays

Bootlegging Essays Bootlegging Essay Bootlegging Essay Beeping noises are definitely necessary in this generation. Without them it would be crazy to survive, since we are so used to them. Imagine how life would be without any beeping noises would be. It would definitely be a lot more peaceful, but as well as dangerous. For example, every day in the street people use their horns to honk at other cars. Thats the way we communicate if something wrong was going on. In every way I feel like life wouldnt be the same if things were silent. Everyday day and night you hear beeping noises. For example, you hear them on television, the streets, inside buildings and phones of course. Sometimes you may hear BEEP BEEP a car honks or RING RING, when a telephone rings. There are a million beeping noises in this world and knowing the fact that they are their makes peoples life much easier and safe. We need the noises because they are a life safer. With the beeping sound knowing we know what the mean helps us be more cautious. Example, not everyones minds has it set on a certain time to wake up. Therefore that is where an alarm clock comes in andy. An alarm obviously makes noises so it will wake you up on an occasion. As well as fire trucks, police cars, trains, school bells, whistles, trailer trucks, elevators and much much more. Without the help of the noises each individual object makes we wouldnt know what would be going on. Some people may not agree and say it isnt necessary and life would be much easier and peaceful; but I strongly disagree. Hearing beeping sounds is how I live my life every day. Society wants to make it easy for us so we can have a better enjoyment and safety life.

Whats Actually Tested on the ACT Math Section Concepts, Subjects, and Skills

What's Actually Tested on the ACT Math Section Concepts, Subjects, and Skills SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you preparing for the ACT? You’re probably wondering what you need to know to be ready for the math section. For many students, the math section can be the most stressful part of the ACT because of its breadth and time difficulty. In this post, we'll break down exactly what will appear on the ACT math test, with sample questions. We'll also give you the resources you need to start studying so you can get the best score possible. What's the Format of the ACT Math Section? The ACT math section is 60 minutes long, with 60 questions total – so you’ll have just one minute to complete each question. You’ll definitely have to work quickly if you want to answer each one! Every question is multiple choice, and there is no penalty for guessing. Pacing and problem solving are the big challenges on the ACT math section. Pacing is tricky because you have to answer questions as quickly as possible without losing accuracy. In addition, you have to be able to quickly identify ways to solve problems. This is why studying specifically for ACT math is so important, since it requires you to work faster and more strategically than you have to in math class. You need to be able to problem solve, or use what the ACT calls using reasoning abilities. In addition, the math questions are not ordered by topic, so you need to be prepared to quickly switch between topics like statistics, algebra, and geometry. Test Content and Requirements The ACT tests math skills that most students know by the beginning of grade 12 – which in practice means nothing beyond Algebra II. If you’re an advanced student, ACT math content will be very straightforward. The content breakdown for ACT math is: Pre-Algebra (20-25%) Elementary Algebra (15-20%) Intermediate Algebra (15-20%) Coordinate Geometry (15-20%) Plane Geometry (20-25%) Trigonometry (5-10%) We’ll explore those sections in-depth with example problems and explain how you get scores for each section. You can use a calculator – but it has to be a permitted one. However, you’re not required to use a calculator, meaning all problems on the ACT can be solved without one. Be careful not to rely too much on your calculator if you use one, as it can actually slow you down. (For an expert discussion on the best calculators for standardized tests, see our post.) Unlike the SAT, you’re not given a reference sheet, so you have to know basic math formulas (y = mx + b, the area formula, the quadratic formula, etc) but nothing too complex. What Are ACT Math Section Subscores? Your score is based on how many total points out of 60 possible you earn. That raw score is converted to a section score between 1 and 36 (for more on that process, see our ACT scoring guide). You also receive three subscores based on the six content areas: pre-algebra and elementary algebra, intermediate algebra and coordinate geometry, and plane geometry and trigonometry. The subscores basically give more detailed information about your performance, but are generally not looked at too closely by colleges (your overall math section score and ACT composite are most important). However, you can use the subscore areas to focus your studying by math topic. We will explore the three math subsections and show some example questions for each. You might find that you are more than prepared for one area but need to focus your practice on one topic, like trigonometry or coordinate geometry. While we will give a detailed overview of what you can expect to see on the math section, we also recommend doing full practice tests so you can really get a sense of what the ACT math section is really like. #1: Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra Pre-Algebra (20-25%) Basic operations using whole numbers, decimals, fractions, and integers Place value Square roots and approximations The concept of exponents Scientific notation Factors Ratio, proportion, and percent Linear equations in one variable Absolute value and ordering numbers by value Elementary counting techniques and simple probability Data collection, representation, and interpretation Understanding simple descriptive statistics A basic operations problem. A probability problem based on a real-world situation. Elementary Algebra (15-20%) Properties of exponents and square roots Evaluation of algebraic expressions through substitution Using variables to express functional relationships Understanding algebraic operations The solution of quadratic equations by factoring Two elementary algebra problems. The first uses variables to express a real-world relationship. The second tests evaluation of algebraic expressions through substitution. #2: Intermediate Algebra/Coordinate Geometry Intermediate Algebra (15-20%) The quadratic formula Rational and radical expressions Absolute value equations and inequalities Sequences and patterns Systems of equations Quadratic inequalities Functions and modeling Matrices Roots of polynomials Complex numbers Coordinate Geometry (15-20%) Graphing and the relations between equations and graphs, including points, lines, polynomials, circles, and other curves Graphing inequalities Slope Parallel and perpendicular lines Distance Midpoints Conics #3: Plane Geometry/Trigonometry Plane Geometry (20-25%) Properties and relations of plane figures, including angles and relations among perpendicular and parallel lines Properties of circles, triangles, rectangles, parallelograms, and trapezoids Transformations The concept of proof and proof techniques Volume Applications of geometry to three dimensions Trigonometry (5-10%) Trigonometric relations in right triangles Values and properties of trigonometric functions Graphing trigonometric functions Modeling using trigonometric functions Use of trigonometric identities Solving trigonometric equations Example questions via Preparing for the ACT. Where Can You Find ACT Math Practice Materials? Now that you know what's on ACT Math, your next step is to start practicing! The most important way to prepare for the ACT is to take practice tests. We havelinks to free, official online practice teststo get you started. If you need to especially practice math, you can just take the Math sections, but for everyone we recommend you take at least a few full-length practice ACTs so you can get an idea of how well you'd do on the entire exam and get experience taking such a long test. A prep book can also be a major help while you're studying ACT Math, especially if there are some concepts you're still struggling to understand. However, it's important to get a high-quality prep book.See our guide tothe best ACT prep books on the market. What’s Next? Not sure what your target ACT score should be? Learn what a good, bad, or excellent score looks like, and the type of score you should aim for based on your dream colleges. Want some help studying? Consider using our PrepScholar program. We take the hard part out of studying so you can focus on practicing for the test, using high-quality practice questions, and improving your weak areas. Are you not a big fan of geometry? See if it’s possible to take the ACT without geometry. Looking for a perfect ACT math score? Get tips from our 36 full-scorer. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by ACT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

Property Tax Funding For Public Schools Research Paper

Property Tax Funding For Public Schools - Research Paper Example Instead of doing that, they make equal per-student funding available from their â€Å"General Tax Revenues† for all schools statewide. Most of the Americans declare that they are the supporters of the â€Å"Equal Funding† for the public schools, but the wealthy and the influential citizens often resist the attempts to remove the funding discriminations. This disagreement may be a sign of unawareness about the funding disparities, thoughtless approval of the conventional & long established methods for funding of education, and egotistical yearning to maintain the â€Å"Personal Taxes† at a low rate. The â€Å"Legal and Political† attempts to modify and remove the inequalities have been feeble at the â€Å"Federal Level†. But significant commotion has started to take place in the state courts and governing bodies. This paper ends with suggestions and policy propositions for struggling â€Å"Political and Cultural† conflict to reform. Introducti on: Property taxation and school funding are inter-linked with each other in United States. It has been known that almost half of the property tax revenue is used for funding public, elementary and secondary schools. It has become a hot topic to debate, across the United States as to which extent the public schools should be supported by the funds collected from property taxes. School funding is a controversial topic and it has become a matter to be resolved for almost every state.   It has been estimated  that independent school districts receive 96% of their tax revenues from property taxes. This makes it clear that public school funding rely more on property taxation as compare to grants collected from local government (Fisher, 2007). Whereas on the other hand, almost half of the total property tax revenue collected are also in financing public elementary and secondary schools in the United States. According to the statistics of 2004-2005, United States spent total of $488.5 billion on public elementary and secondary education, with nearly 47 percent of the funds received from state sources, 44 percent funds obtained by local sources with just 9 percent of the contributions derived from federal sources. However, it is a known fact that local funds are mainly received from taxes, primarily the property tax. Since 1952, local governments’ dependence on property taxes has dropped, whether measured as a percentage of local tax revenue, own source general revenue, or total general revenue. There have been quite many strong views on both property taxation and school finance. The strongest statements typically in general disapprove of local property taxes or their use for funding education. A latest assessment of policies in the New England states, a region that rely more greatly on property taxes than the rest of the country, faces strong criticism for this dependence, as stated by Pierce and Johnson (2006) that high property taxes along with the weigh t and perverse incentives they generate, the frenzy they create, the overall town to town school funding inequities they grow typically symbolizes a never-ending series of nightmares for New England. Thus as recommended by the authors, its has been noticed  that New England states need to restructure their  tax systems by lowering their dependency on

Correct Weaknesses in Freeze-Times system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Correct Weaknesses in Freeze-Times system - Essay Example This escalates the potential of theft and concealment. Moreover, receiving transactions should not be generated without actually receiving goods accompanied with proper evidence of delivery. This is because goods may not be reported or reported inaccurately that may lead to misstated inventory. In addition, the ordering department should be independent from the accounting and operating departments that process data the responsibilities for requisitioning, purchasing, receiving should be clearly divided from those of invoice processing, accounts payable etc. This is because an employee can order inventory from a fake supplier and send payment to post office box rented by him. Hence, Rosa and Benita should take segregate duties and appoint specific individuals for each task. Moreover, periodic physical inventory count of merchandise should be conducted to determine if it corresponds with the amount recorded in the books. Not only should Rosa check receiving reports before making payments, but she should also cross-check it against price stated on vendor invoices. 1. It is the management that decides activities/transactions that require supervisory or other approval to be performed. Normally only expenditures beyond capital addition levels require management approval. 2. Segregation of duties of inventory purchaser and equipment purchaser is critical to protect equipment so that no one person controls everything. Additionally, this will often lead to errors in the financial statements by confusing purchasing inventory with equipment and vice-versa; hence, misstated financial statements. Law requires employees are to fill appropriate forms regarding receipt and responsibility over of equipment. Therefore, a specific person should authorize equipment purchases, correctly record new purchases and record changes in equipment in order to be held accountable. 4. Retired and

Businesses are not Behaving Ethically Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Businesses are not Behaving Ethically - Essay Example Also, if a company follows ethical practices in its operations it is able to gain customer loyalty. And it is not necessary that to be ethical a company incurs more costs than one that doesn't. It's a win-win situation for ethical companies (Rupal). There may be numerous reasons for businesses to be considered as acting unethically. Actions used to cut down costs, access more resources, raise their profit earnings, or simply to enter into a new market could be taken in an unethical manner. The prime example could be of Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has captured the U.S. market for retailers. But in its search for cheaper products to beat out its competition with, it offers its laborers in developing countries with barely subsistence wages due to which laborers put in hundreds of man-hours yet still earn an income which could barely support them (Nassar). Their entrance into foreign markets bring business to that country but the conditions of the people living there do not improve as they are still below their poverty line and there is no rise in their gdp/capita. To provide their consumers with the cheapest products in the market Wal-Mart is abusing its workers and providing them with miserable working conditions. A similar sweatshop case was witnessed when people found out that the "lovable" Disney franchise was using laborers working in miserable conditions to manufacture the products which helped sustain the multi-billion dollar industry that relied on Disney products such as their clothing line and the other products sold at their theme parks. In our immediate present we can see how Lehman Bros. helped cause the economic collapse which sent tremors all over the world. By giving mortgages to people who could not afford them they created the sudden defaults which would later cause a chain reaction which would not only affect the U.S. but the entire world. Whole economies collapsed and the tax payer's money was diverted towards the protection of these banks rather than on any infrastructural projects for which they should have been spent. Immense unemployment arose worldwide, countries had trouble importing items since they did not have sufficient funds, defaults in payments for national debts, and fall in investments were observed. This whole incident single handedly brought down the GDP of many European nations as well as the U.S. The state of our national healthcare system is ample proof that businesses on a whole are unethical if given the choice and freedom to be. Given the slightest laxness from the government and the assurance of no action to be taken on them on legal grounds corporations begin to adapt behaviors which are unethical. Why Act Unethically Most businesses act unethically when they know that their actions would result in no consequences to harm them. If they had the fear that they would be persecuted or that they might face negative opinions in the market then they would not resort to unethical means to jump ahead of their competition. This could probably be a reason why unethical practices are observed more in developing countries where the government regulations are weak and corruption

Deception in the investigative, interrogation, and testimonial Essay

Deception in the investigative, interrogation, and testimonial processes - Essay Example The fact is that the law often supports police detection, although police action is limited without an arrest or search warrant. The police conduct detection within a contradictory moral order wherein certain fidelities fuse with certain betrayals (Skotnick). The detection process has three stages and deception can and does occur in any or all of these (Skotnick, 1985). These are investigation, interrogation and testimony. Within the policeman's broad moral cognition, the acceptability of deception depends on the level of criminal process: It is most acceptable to the police and the courts at the investigation stage, less during interrogation and least at the testimonial stage in the courtroom. Increasingly stringent normative constrains account for the differences among the levels and stages. Courtroom testimony is given under oath, whereby witnesses sweat to tell only the truth and nothing but the truth. It is the norm to accept that a witness is telling the truth in court. Courtroom lying violates the basic justice system, which all the parties are assumed to uphold. A policeman who lies in the courtroom can work his way out of his predicament by insisting that judicial interpretations of his limitations can get on the way of his abil ity of performing his job. This appears to be true within the context of the forces, which operate within the investigative stage of an adversary system, wherein the end justifies the means. The policeman seems to have the "privilege" of lying to get to the truth in achieving justice through due process (Skotnick). It may be quaint and a contradiction of values and norms but it is also factual that police freely admit to deceiving suspects and defendants to catch them, yet lying policemen and detectives do not admit to committing perjury (Skotnick, 1985). Perjury is as systematic as police work and police know among themselves that they perjure as a norm rather than as an individual error. A study, conducted by Columbia law students on the effect of Mapp v. Ohio on police practices in New York City, on certain search and seizure cases showed that uniformed police fabricated grounds for arrest in narcotics cases in meeting the requirements of Mapp. This does not justify but only explains how police who falsely witness justify the practice for the sake of greater persuasiveness. They resort to lying as routine of shaking themselves out of a predicament or helping one another out of it and because of a skeptical attitude towards a system, which is disinclined towards the truth that would be favor able to the criminal. The law allows a policeman to lie during the investigative stage but forbids it during the testimonial stage in the courtroom where and when he is certain of the guilt of the suspect, unlike during the investigative stage. The lying policeman puts more value on a short-term objective of suppressing evidence than on the long-term principle of due process in protecting the dignity of the accused. The policeman's pursuit is to legitimize the evidence he presents rather than weigh and analyze its sufficiency. He is merely after complying with the arrest laws, although this compliance often involves manipulation

In countries that do not have an Islamic Legal system, disputes Research Paper

In countries that do not have an Islamic Legal system, disputes related to Islamic financial transactions can lead to outcomes t - Research Paper Example Sharia law, as a moral code and religious law for Muslims; addresses various perspectives of human activities such as economics, crimes and politics, as addressed by secular laws, and it seeks to differentiate intentions, interactions and decisions between those that are good and those that are bad (MacEoin and Green, 2). Just like the secular laws, Sharia code of ethics touch on various interactions of the human race giving the prospects and punitive aspects whenever the codes are breached, though from the secular observation of Sharia being a religious law, it has provisions that make the laws holistic in guiding and governing human interactions making it fall under and satisfy individual legal systems. Economically, just like Christian finance, Sharia economics presents the economic systems that conform to the Islamic scriptures and traditions; behavioral norms and foundations, Zakat tax as the basis of Islamic fiscal policy and other economic provisions that holistically covers t he economic and finance sector (Bonner, 397). Though close and similar to the secular and other traditional laws, in countries that there is no Islamic Legal System, disputes related to Islamic Financial Transactions can lead to outcomes that contradict Sharia Principles. Sharia principles like the secular laws have provisions that govern the Islamic Investment Funds; where investors pool their surplus money for the purpose of its investments to earn profits, Halal, but governed and in strict conformity with Sharia laws, and the subscribers receive certification entitling their pro- rated profits accrued from the fund. The Islamic banking phenomenon is based on sector of profitable for investor that represents growth for positive reputation and responsible management, and by fueling growth that is necessitated by increasing demand stimulated by rising number of Muslims in common law and civil law countries (Imady, Omar and Hans, pp.4-6). The conflict is bound to occur especially on the business ethics provided for by Sharia laws in relation to these countries’ provisions whereby the Islamic economic systems are neither socialists nor capitalist, conflicting interests of natives and the economic outlook of these countries. For instance, Sharia provides for Zakat; a practice of charitable giving by Muslims based on the accumulated wealth, and obligatory to all that are able to do so, contravenes with capitalists economies where in most cases taxation is mandatory to all irrespective of economic background and/ or social class. This would further lead to conflicts especially if certain sections of Sharia have to be incorporated in these countries’ laws such as contractual agreements and financial transactions due to different expectations from both sides and the conflict to the national interests. Capitalist societies/ economies rely on creation of value which can be tangible, for physical goods and/ or intangible for services; which involves transa ctions that mutually benefit the parties, the consumer gets the added value to the product/ service, and the retailer or the producer gets the entrepreneurial profits and royalties which may include interest on shares. To the contrary, the Sharia provisions for legal entity or a business that is Halal as a company that does not borrow money on interest and/or keeps their surplus in interest bearing accounts; and that one being a shareholder of such a company becomes a Sharik, agent for the partners in the matters of

Deception in the investigative, interrogation, and testimonial Essay

Deception in the investigative, interrogation, and testimonial processes - Essay Example The fact is that the law often supports police detection, although police action is limited without an arrest or search warrant. The police conduct detection within a contradictory moral order wherein certain fidelities fuse with certain betrayals (Skotnick). The detection process has three stages and deception can and does occur in any or all of these (Skotnick, 1985). These are investigation, interrogation and testimony. Within the policeman's broad moral cognition, the acceptability of deception depends on the level of criminal process: It is most acceptable to the police and the courts at the investigation stage, less during interrogation and least at the testimonial stage in the courtroom. Increasingly stringent normative constrains account for the differences among the levels and stages. Courtroom testimony is given under oath, whereby witnesses sweat to tell only the truth and nothing but the truth. It is the norm to accept that a witness is telling the truth in court. Courtroom lying violates the basic justice system, which all the parties are assumed to uphold. A policeman who lies in the courtroom can work his way out of his predicament by insisting that judicial interpretations of his limitations can get on the way of his abil ity of performing his job. This appears to be true within the context of the forces, which operate within the investigative stage of an adversary system, wherein the end justifies the means. The policeman seems to have the "privilege" of lying to get to the truth in achieving justice through due process (Skotnick). It may be quaint and a contradiction of values and norms but it is also factual that police freely admit to deceiving suspects and defendants to catch them, yet lying policemen and detectives do not admit to committing perjury (Skotnick, 1985). Perjury is as systematic as police work and police know among themselves that they perjure as a norm rather than as an individual error. A study, conducted by Columbia law students on the effect of Mapp v. Ohio on police practices in New York City, on certain search and seizure cases showed that uniformed police fabricated grounds for arrest in narcotics cases in meeting the requirements of Mapp. This does not justify but only explains how police who falsely witness justify the practice for the sake of greater persuasiveness. They resort to lying as routine of shaking themselves out of a predicament or helping one another out of it and because of a skeptical attitude towards a system, which is disinclined towards the truth that would be favor able to the criminal. The law allows a policeman to lie during the investigative stage but forbids it during the testimonial stage in the courtroom where and when he is certain of the guilt of the suspect, unlike during the investigative stage. The lying policeman puts more value on a short-term objective of suppressing evidence than on the long-term principle of due process in protecting the dignity of the accused. The policeman's pursuit is to legitimize the evidence he presents rather than weigh and analyze its sufficiency. He is merely after complying with the arrest laws, although this compliance often involves manipulation

Property Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Property Law - Essay Example 4. On this account, Leo gave Sonya a cheque of ? 100,000 on his own current account and a note saying that his share of the house was hers. He gave Sharon the key to a tin box under his bed saying that the contents were for her. He gave Ben his accounts business card telling him to contact the accountant who had his entire share certificate so that he should get ownership of them, selling them and thereafter give the proceeds in equal shares to Sharon and Sonya. 5. Leos tin contained a cheque for winnings from national lotto, a set of keys to his villa in Argentina, s set of keys to his car and a bag of Argentinian money. 6. Leo recovered from his illness, however on leaving the door for his first walk, part of the roof fell on him and killed him. 7. Ben sold the shares and used the proceeds for a holiday. The Law: In particular, I rely upon the following laws and case laws. 1. Re Craven Estates (No 1) (1937) I Ch 423, HC 2. Re Beaumont (1902) 1 CH 889 3. Cain vs. Moon (1896) 2QB 283 4. Wilkes vs. Allington (1931) 2 CH 104 5. Birch vs. Treasury Solicitor (1950) 2 All ER 1198 6. Re Lilingstone Deceased (1952) All ER 184 7. Woodard vs. Woodard (1991) The Times, 18th March CA. 8. Sen vs. Headley, (1991) CH 425 9. Stock Transfer Act of 1963 10. The Wills Act of 1837 11. Agnew vs. Belfast Banking Co. (1896) 2 IR 204 12. Re Dudman (1925) 1 CH 553 Donatio Mortis Causa: 1. The gifts under this case are known as donation mortis causa. These gifts are conditional and possession take place after the death of the donor.The Wills Act of 1837 allows the issuance of such gifts.Farley (2002) notes that in the case of Re Craven Estates, the court held that a person is not allowed to dispose of his property after death under British laws but an exemption is provided for by the Wills Act of 1837 (p.45). But this principle of donation mortis causa is an exemption as provided by the same act of 1837. 2. In Re Beaumont, the court held that Donatio Mortis Causa is a singular form of gift and is amphibious nature. It is neither inter vivos nor testamentary and the recipient is entitled to the gift after the donor dies (Jackson, 1972). 3. Keeton (1968) by using the case of Cain v Moon observes that for a gift under donation mortis causa to be valid it must satisfy the following conditions, the gifts must be made in contemplation of death and not necessarily expectation (p.61). The recipient must receive the subject matter of the gift and there must be a condition that the gift reverts back to the donor in case he recovers. 4. The validity of donation mortis causa does not depend on whether the donor died of the anticipated cause, but on whether the donor actually died. In Wilkes vs. Allington, it was held that the most important issue in DMC is whether the donor actually died (Fitzgerald and Muncie, 1983). 5. Harrison (1965) observes that if a title does not pass by delivery, a DMC can be valid if there is evidence of possession of title or property which entitle s the possessor to the property given, and he cites the case of Birch v treasury solicitor, where the court held that if the gift in question is bulky, the handling to the recipient a means of accessing the gift, i.e. the key is symbolic enough to constitute delivery (p.36). THE CASE: 1. The first issue noted in the gifts given to Sonya, Sharon

Wadge Hierarchy and Determination Essay Example for Free

Wadge Hierarchy and Determination Essay This essay is about determination. My purpose in writing is to inspire you to be a person of determination. Determination is defined as a: the act of deciding definitely and firmly; the result of such an act of decision or the definition I like even better: b : the power or habit of deciding definitely and firmly The POWER of deciding definitely and firmly. So then we can say that Determination is Power.the power to overcome the obstacles in your paththe power to complete the taskvanquish the foe. finish the job.reach the mountaintop.whatever the task before you may be. That definition also said that determination was a habitso to exercise the POWER of determination, we need to make determination a habit Think of some people in history that we would describe as persons of determinationhabitually determined people.. Sir Edmond Hilary reached the peak of Mt Everest on his 2nd trynot his first. Thomas Edison failed over 1000 times before producing a viable light bulb.. Christopher Columbus spent YEARS trying to find a financial backer for his voyage to the western hemisphere After surrendering the Philippines, General McArthur spent two and a half years battling the Japanese before he could come back to the Philippines, wade ashore, and proudly declare, People of the Philippines, I have returned. Richard Nixon ran for the White House twice before he won Bill Clinton lost a race for the U.S. House, and then won a race for Arkansas state attorney general. He won the governors race, then lost the re-election bid, but he was re-elected governor, and stayed there until he was elected to the presidency.quite a yo yo political careerbut he had the last laugh.and he certainly had determination. Think of Lance Armstrong, one of the most successful cyclists in history, determining to overcome a cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain before being detected, and returning to win the Tour D France for a record breaking 5 times. King David of the ancient Israelites was determined to knock the giants head off; and he did it. The list goes on and onwere certainly not hurting for examples to follow In my own life, I look to my father, who was a man of determination, and his father before him When I was a young boy, my father had a favorite poem he often quoted, and required each of his six children to memorizethe poem is by Edgar Guest.. It Couldnt Be Done Edgar Guest Somebody said that it couldnt be done, But he with a chuckle replied That maybe it couldnt, but he would be one Who wouldnt say so till hed tried. So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin On his face. If he worried he hid it. He started to sing as he tackled the thing That couldnt be done, and he did it. Somebody scoffed: Oh, youll never do that; At least no one ever has done it; But he took off his coat and he took off his hat, And the first thing we knew hed begun it. With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin, Without any doubting or quiddit, He started to sing as he tackled the thing That couldnt be done, and he did it. There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done, There are thousands to prophesy failure; There are thousands to point out to you, one by one, The dangers that wait to assail you. But just buckle in with a bit of a grin, Just take off your coat and go to it; Just start to sing as you tackle the thing That cannot be done, and youll do it. Now at this point, you may be saying,Well, thats all well and goodgreat positive thinking and all thatbut how can we control the forces around us that keep us from achieving our goals? Well I want you to see that determination is something YOU can controlits internal, not externalits mental, not materialspiritual, not physicalits making up your mind and not wavering from it.as I said before, determination is power.the power of the made up mind Make up your mind to believe that it is the SPIRITUAL that ALWAYS determines the material. Make up your mind that there is a great power within you.that power is determination. determine to be successful determine to be more educated. determine to be more healthy.. determine to be determined If you take nothing else away from this, remember these three words Determination is Power Set your sights on whatever you want to achieve and go for it.see yourself as successful in whatever the endeavorand determination will be the power that enables you to overcome any obstacles in your path

Consumer Behaviour in the UK Automotive Industry

Consumer Behaviour in the UK Automotive Industry Consumer behaviour is dependent on few factors that need to be considered in any industry. In the Automotive industry, there are several intertwining factors known. The Internet as one knows well has its importance in nearly every form of trade. Trade is directly dependent on communication, and these days the Internet is considered to be the most important and reliable means of communications for trade. In view of the Internet being an important medium through which customers may be communicated with, customer behaviour becomes an important subject. Observing customer behaviour in the recent past, its observed that there is immense scope for expanding the automotive industry. This is because there appears to be a better response from customers through the Internet. Purchases of parts are easily made and are believed to be considerably reliable. For purchasing vehicles, advertising through the Internet is the first step towards pulling in customers. Indeed, this step is believed to be effective as there are a number of individuals who first see adds online, and then decide to physically check a promotion out. With the Internet growing more and more common in the UK, it is expected that there will be much more activity on the part of consumers, which means that the automotive industry is going to do even better than it has in the past. Introduction: The world has reached a stage at which everything is close-knit. There are several bodies and structures that interact with each other that appear to be systematic. Globalization for instance is something has many countries, organizations and institutions operating together. Each of the components in the globalization process exists for its self and is self-driven, yet the system functions. In this regard, one might assert that markets of different types and sizes function in a similar manner. The motive industry is an example with its visible effects. Consumers are actively participating in the industry activity, making it an increasingly viable one for people to invest in. The services and products are known to be quite reliable with an immense amount interesting them. In recent years this has been the case and in time to come it’s expected that there is going to be even more interest in the automotive industry. Methodology: This paper includes views of the automotive industry and the communication processes involved. It exposes each part in considerable detail in sections. In doing so, it has managed to cover several areas of interest that explain consumer behaviour. In order to also give on an idea of what strategies organizations employ to boost their profits, fictitious company has been included with figures that are relevant tithe automotive industry. In view of the strategies involved in this company (EXCEED) one can determine how important communication is in the automotive industry. It is clear enough that the Internet is of tremendous value here, and it is for this reason that it is important to analyse its use. The weak as well as the strong points are exposed here, and one can match these up against the ones employed in EXCEED’s strategies. According to this, one can also assess how effective EXCEED’s strategies are and whether or not they are successful in the automotive industry. In considering the success of the strategies, it must also be asserted that it is believed that the strategies are successful considerably because of the success that automotive industry has had in recent times. It is also hoped that strategies will also go on to be further improved so that the industry does even better . Description: The world learns through experience, but living in an image-conscious world may prevent one from learning through his experiences. This is apparently a dilemma considering the fact that one lives in an age of post modernism; a stage during which signs mask reality, and one is often deceived through image-promoting strategies. This is true to say because of the fact that signs, logos and big names are now common, and people are often lured into believing the authenticity of different products because of the promotions they have. Consumer behaviour is considerably dependent on promotion of products; the manner in which products are promoted directly influences customer behaviour. Each medium used for promotion has its own impact, and the one that is believed to have a tremendous impact is the Internet. It is believed to boost promotions and sales greatly, and it helps customers in their first step before actually checking a car out. It is through the advertisements on line that they may be attracted and then move towards checking a vehicle out physically at a show room. It is this behaviour that has helped boost the automotive industry significantly. In fact it must be asserted that prior to globalization, consumer behaviour was observed as having a major effect on the development of nations. This is because it helps boost the economy internally as well as having its impact externally . Prior to the 1940s and 1950s, there was no such aim because of the fact that there were many problems that the country was faced with internally. Socially there were different levels on which the UK had to bring the people together. And perhaps during that time no one had come up with such an idea to divert the attention of the people, which occurred during the 1950s . From this era began to the shift towards an improved way of life that would take the country into an entirely different era. This era today is called globalization, a phenomenon that brought many parts of the world together through faster communication systems. Globalization has in fact resulted due to the fact that communication systems have been boosted in recent years. This is also the reason why the present age that people live in is called ‘the age of communication’. Literature Review: The expansion that has been witnessed today in organizational structures an effect of globalization too because they are spreading almost all over the world. As Organizations expand it is understood that they tend to face problems in efficiency. These problems need to be handled carefully in a logical manner so that smooth running of the organization can be restored to the way it was when it was located in its originating country. For this to be handled effectively, communication also needs to be of the highest level. Problems in efficiency may emerge due to the lack of communication or the lack of skills with newer personnel employed in the firm. This is because they are not aware of exactly what the cultural atmosphere was at the original location of the firm. Since they have been newly employed they are bound to face problems such as these. Strengthening the leadership of an organization automatically means that operations will be handled well, which in turn means that there will be financial gain at the end. In addition to this there won’t be a shortage of executives if organizations indulge in setting up proper training plans for their apt employees. These plans should be implemented both, at home and abroad too so that uniformity is maintained throughout the organization. It is also essential that trainers do not get polarized in any one location geographically speaking. They should be allowed to exercise their skills and implement them wherever possible. This means that they will also gain maximum teaching experience which they can share with whoever the work with and teach. Three leadership techniques that have been found to increase the performance of an organization: An efficient and lean organization; A talent management plan that focuses on attracting and retaining high-performing individuals; and A performance management program that â€Å"rewards employees who meet set goals† (Dorgan, Dowdy, 2002) From the above points one can see that the major problem that lies in organizations spreading into other cultures is the internal conflict, but aside from the internal conflicts the trend of marketing American products abroad is one that is patronized by the people of those cultures. It is the people that make this possible, as human beings are almost always ready for a change especially if it isn’t going to harm them. Accepting new trends that are already in vogue in other neighboring countries is something that further motivates people into welcoming UK products. However, this is not only the case with receiving UK products in Asian countries . There is now more scope than there was ever before for products to be marketed. The marketing of goods across the globe is yet an extension of what took place in the 1950s. This may be said because of the fact that the effects of this process of globalization are almost the same as what was seen in the United States during the 1950s. The process of people welcoming products that are brought nearer totem heralds the current trend in globalization. This is the same process that was seen during the 1950s when consumer behaviour was on the rise. This trend is extended to other places in the world today through globalization, which means that there are a whole lot more people aware of what is available around the world. This also means that there is a lot more stuff for people to be engrossed in, which would further help people to be relieved of stress in their everyday lives. But it also must be realized that there are other things to consider besides stress relief and extension of cult ure (Annesley,1998). It must be realized here that there is an intense effort to control people economically through consumerism. During the 1950s this was seen as people bought what was advertised. Similarly, this is seen in many countries around the world that buy American products. An Example of an Organization in the Automotive Industry For this section, a fictitious organization has been named, but contains data that is relevant to the automotive industry and present-day values. In contemporary times this may seem to be a problem, as one may not really know which product to trust and which will be dependable. As opposed to having to depend on particular advertising to learn about products, people have often used other customer experiences as their guides. This means that people without experience of a particular product have in fact waited for others to purchase it; the observers its back and observes the performance and customer satisfaction. If a product happens to satisfy a customer, others will certainly be willing to use the same service providers. Hence, it can be seen here that reputation does matter to service providers and customers. In addition to this, it must be noted that experience of customers can be used as a vital tool in promoting services. This overshadows the uncertainty of that advertising may often portray. Though advertising is an essential strategy in promoting a product, it must be realized that there are several people that are not easily convinced simply through product display and the like. In view of this, customer testimonials are essential in proving authenticity of a product, as this proves how many customers have been satisfied and what customers have to say about. This is what many organizations are doing these days in order to boost their services. Indeed, EXCEED is one of them; EXCEED is a motoring supplier, and caters to a significant part of UKs market. In doing so, it needs to reassure its customers of its services and dedication them all. EXCEED is believed to be a credible motoring product and services supplier because of its reputation; its reputation is one that has been gained through reliability that customers have experienced through time. In view of this, more and more customers have turned to EXCEED services, as they have been convinced by other customers experiences through time. However, it must be asserted that an organization that operates as one of the biggest in the UK, cannot simply rely on word of mouth for gaining more business or maintaining its position in the market. Thesis because of the fact that competition can easily overturn one’s reputation. In view of this, EXCEED has to go on promoting itself and has to do so in a positive manner by focusing on its strengths and either ameliorating or doing away with products and services that are not gaining headway. Currently with the reputation EXCEED has, it is the leader in the Upmarket, attending to millions of customers. It has more than 12 million drivers depending on them, has around 3500 uniformed patrols on the job, and caters to 7.5 million calls every year. It is apparent that with this kind of healthy activity in their business that EXCEED is number one. However, like any other organization that provides services and products, EXCEED is not satisfied with what it is doing in the sense that it wants to enhance services that are viable and either do away with or improve the services and products that are less in demand. In doing this, they have an understanding of the market and what their potentials are, and this lays the platform for EXCEED to construct strategy in terms of marketing and advertising; a strategy that they and the customers too would gain from.*EXCEED also has been on the risen terms of the customers that turn to them. this is a positive sign because the number that turn to their services and products each year. With selling more than 650,000 breakdown policies a year, something that they currently specialize in, there is even more scope for improvement (Breakdown Cover, 2005). According to the figure below, one can easily observe that breakdown is apparently the primary source of income in EXCEED. There are other sources as well, but this is the most important one, and indeed one that they are promoting. The important point to realize here is that EXCEED knows its strengths well due to the fact that they have kept close watch on all the activity in the company. They know their past well, they know what is going on at the moment, and they also know what their chances are in the market. In view of their potential being strongest as far as promoting breakdown services, EXCEED believes that its marketing and advertising strategies are of immense importance, as it is through these tools that they can manage to attain a wider segment of the market. In view of the current state of affairs in the market, the following are worth noting. Product Holding: Volume Breakdown (motoring): 2,300,000 Motor and home Insurance: 500, 000 Other Financial Services: 45, 000 Breakdown and Insurance: 600, 500 Breakdown and Financial Services: 50, 000 Insurance and Financial Services: 5, 500 Breakdown, Insurance and Financial: 32, 000 In developing further strategies in order to improve EXCEEDs name and services, it is worth generally putting together some of the features around which the company could work. Below are few points that help paint a picture of EXCEEDs functions EXCEED is believed to offer more than just breakdown coverage; it offers: EXCEED UK Breakdown Cover EXCEED 5 Star European Breakdown Cover – Round the clock English telephone assistance. EXCEED Motor Insurance – 8% discount on line. EXCEED Home Insurance – They fish out a panel of insurers for their customers. EXCEED Car Data Check – Recovers hidden history of a used car in case you want to purchase it EXCEED Vehicle Inspection EXCEED Travel Bookshop – 18% off on line from the UKs largest provider of travel guides. EXCEED Driving School – Nation-wide EXCEED approved instructors Database Strategy through the Internet: Considering the fact that EXCEED has been allotted around 14 million Pounds to promote their services, it appears that an appropriate promotion can be created. Generally, for this first step, around 40percent of the fund may be used. This is because a database has to be established if any current one cannot be used for the proposed plan here. In addition to this and appropriate interface has to go along with it, combined with special features that only allow input on the part of customers. In view of the services that are already being provided, EXCEED needs to search into customer needs. This search would have tube conducted through getting their feedback. It is obvious that asking each and every customer about what they would like EXCEED to provide them would not be feasible; it would be better for the customers to have access to EXCEED. This could be done through allowing customers to have access to an interface through which they could feed in their comments and recommendations online (Fill, 1999, 53-59). They would not need to have passwords and things to that effect, as the feed in process could be made plain and simple for them. This could be carried out through creating some sort of forum where customers can view other customers’ views as well, and thereby give them even better ideas to suggest. In addition to this, the service could have a feature that provides one access to feed in their views, but after entering them, they cannot be deleted. In other words the program manager would only delete whatever is posted in the forum. In this way, comments posted would be safe (Yandi, 2001, 15-21). In addition to an online provision, at outlets where EXCEED services are provided, the company could maintain on hand comment leaflets or even registers for comments. The leaflets would provide customers with the opportunity of filling in their comments while they are free. The registers would have to be filled in on the spot. The data from these registers could enter into another portion of the online database for comments and views. The leaflets when filled when the customers have time could be dropped off at any EXCEED outlet of services. The data from these could also be accumulated and fed into the database as well (Tapp, 2000, 22-34). In addition to customers posting their comments, it is also advisable for EXCEED to develop a means through which employees such as the patrolman could give their views and comments as well. With this type of feedback EXCEED would be able to determine to what extent each side’s comments are practical. While the customers want services to improve according to their convenience, EXCEED also has to look at the possible changes from the employees angle. This would help the management come up with ideas that would satisfy the customers as well the employees in terms of easing their services to the customers (Tapp,2000, 22-34). In view of the management receiving all the comments through the database, the data needs to be sorted appropriately. Since it has all been collected under employee views and customer views, there is basically no real need to segregate the comments even further. However, there’s need for better arrangement in the presentation of the collected comments. This refers to the placement of services throughout the country and where the comments have been received. This also means that in each comment entry, a customer has to state which part of the country s/he is in. Depending on whether there is sufficient services in particular areas or not, EXCEED can enhance its services. In addition to this, they can set to work on the requested services. Since it is the Breakdown services that EXCEED wishes to focus on according to the potential in the business, they need to construct the feedback system according to what has been described above. In view of such a database interface being constructed and implemented, it also facilitates customer comments after improvements in services have been made (Smith, 1998, 25-41). In view of the use of database, it must be asserted that the major cost of it is only in the initial stage. This is because once the databases setup; it only has to be maintained and monitored. Direct Marketing Customers Program for existing customers: In the direct marketing step, it must be asserted that at least another 3.5 million – 5 million might have to be invested out of the budget. This is because of the fact that EXCEED needs a stronger approach to its current customers; EXCEED requires a more comprehensive set up with more communication employees in order to realize its goal. Assuming the amount is invested, the following course of action can be taken in order to develop direct marketing. Though EXCEED recognizes the fact that it has tremendous scope for improving the grip it has on the market and would certainly want more customers, they are wise in the sense that they acknowledge the value of their present customers; they know that if they satisfy their customers their reputation will remain as it was if not improve. In addition to this, it must be asserted that a company has better chances of maintaining stability in all forms when it focuses on the market it has already captured. Maintaining current customers is essential in terms of financial stability as well as customer loyalty. This is because the customers get to know that the company cares about them through the services that it provides them with. EXCEED knows its products and its customers too, but they need to remain in touch with them in order to make adjustments that the customers need. In view of this concern, the customers feel that the company cares about them; EXCEED needs to make the customers feel this way in order to make sure that the customers dont feel abandoned or stuck with a product. Hence, there is a need to make sure that each and every customer is aware of the fact that they can communicate with EXCEED directly (Evans et al,2004, 43-44). In view of the direct communication that is a major part of promotional strategy today, it must be asserted that EXCEED needs to communicate with its customers today as much as possible. In order to communicate with them they can have in place customer relation officers. These officers are in charge of remaining in touch with current customers. Indeed, there are many of these officers employed because of the fact that there are also many customers that have to be dealt with. It is not an easy process but certainly is one that is necessary (Pickton, 2001, 64-67). Considering the means of communications used, e-mail, telephone, fax,etc. are the commonly used ones. Postal mail is also used as a means of contact. However, emailing and telephone contact are most commonly used. Similar to the communication process that communication officers use to stay in touch with current customers, it also must be asserted that customers use the same means as well. In fact, they may even be familiar with the communication officers who deal with them. This gives one an idea of how the direct communication process works and how effective it is. Certainly, if a customer becomes familiar enough to know a communication officers name, it is obvious that the communication process used is effective enough to get desired messages through (Smith, 1998, 25-41). In view of the effectiveness of the communication proves, it is clear that product promotion can be enhanced. All the communication officers have to do is follow the instructions of the product and tell the customer about it. In addition to this, they can supply them with ways and means of getting hold of the products. Regarding the communication process being simple, it certainly is, but when one has to focus of the breakdown of it all, it gets a little tedious. This is because of the fact that one needs to know the market well, and see who is interested more in the products and services that EXCEED provides. In view of this, there are few factors that have to be taken into consideration. These include: age, gender, ones occupation, lifestyle,etc. Though most people who use EXCEEDs services would want to know more about the products and services the company has to offer it must be asserted that research into the current customer behaviour reveals that there are particular groups that are more volatile and more viable to work with. This is why communication officers may work more with some customers and less with others. This is not seen as being prejudiced in any way, but it is true to say that the process takes into consideration customer behaviour, and since EXCEED is dealing with millions of customers they need to focus on the ones that they need to build and maintain relationship with. This is precisely what boosts customer loyalty. As far as the customers that are not communicated regularly with, it must be asserted that they are also important customers but they are ones that are easily satisfied with the services they get. In view of the particular factors that are taken into consideration, it must be asserted that in the UK, both men and women are users of EXCEED services, especially breakdown services. While men are still more likely to be customers, younger age groups are almost even. Older men are more likely than older women to travel long distances, while older women are still likely to be drive and use EXCEED services. As far as one’s occupation is concerned, both men and women are likely to be service holders of EXCEED because of the fact that they are compelled to drive around. Lifestyle is another thing that is taken into consideration. Again men and women are both likely to use EXCEED services, but the younger they are the less likely they are to have EXCEED services. In view of some people not having EXCEED services, they can be targeted through the marketing strategy; current customers could be used to spread the word around. However, the more important point to focus on includes the need to market EXCEED more to people that have already used EXCEED services. If they have not been using the services recently, they can be contacted and reminded of their expired membership. In view of communication methods that need to be used, email and telephone is most commonly used. Almost all people have an answering machine on at home and a message would be easy to leave for the. Those that have cell phones could either be called or a message or mail could be sent to them. Emailing is common, and for those that use Internet facilities commonly can be easily contacted through it. In view of each customer’s profile, various ways of getting in touch with him or her need to be mentioned(Brierly, 2002, 27-29). Customers may be asked on order forms how they might be contacted; these details are noted down in order to make sure the more appropriate means of contacting a customer may be used. In addition to the communication means mentioned above, EXCEED could also promote its products and services through alternative means. This would include promoting products through magazines, television, periodicals, radio, and the Internet. This strictly refers to advertisements that are not personal, as they are opposed to emailing or telephoning a person. Though advertising in the ways mentioned here is quite effective, it must be asserted that it is not the kind that would stimulate the customer’s emotions. Customers need to be contacted directly when they are or have been regular customers of EXCEED or any other company; it makes them feel valued, and again here it must be emphasized that the value of these feelings are crucial to maintain EXCEED services as they currently are offering incentives is important whether communication officers use direct contact of advertising strategies (Percy et al, 2001, 18-28).The difference is that when customers are contacted directly and told about the promotion they feel more valued. What EXCEED could do is circulate information about a new product among their current customers; they could tell them all the important details about it. At a later date, the product information could be revealed to the general public through advertising in magazines, one the Internet, etc. Since the regular customers would have already gotten the information first, they would feel more appreciated and valued. These are the kinds of techniques that could be used current customers as opposed to potential customers because it is the current customer that comes first. This is because of the fact that EXCEED needs to make sure its reputation and business stand as it is and not be lowered. Acquisition Strategy for new Customers: For this part of the promotional plan, EXCEED is left with a minimum of 3million Pounds. This means that funds might still fall short because television and radio promotion in addition to other forms will have to be used here. However, since television and radio communications might be used in the previous step, promoting products for newer customers could also be included. This would help save great deal of the funding, thereby allowing the whole promotional plant be implemented. The following includes how EXCEED might implement their plan to include new customers with the funds in hand. Since EXCEED has already discovered the market and are aware of the immense potential that lies ahead, they can implement a strategy that would cater to potential customers regarding Motoring Services, Financial Services and Travel Services. Random marketing strategies could be easily employed. It must be asserted that advertising through the Internet, magazines, radio and television are all appropriate means. In view of the cost factor here, moderate advertising through television could be implemented in order to fit the budget given. Advertising through the print media is considered to be more feasible. This is because EXCEED could have their advertisements placed in periodicals or magazines that are associated with motor companies(Yandi, 2001, 15-21). So when customers purchase cars or go through magazines that have information on particular cars, it is most likely that they would come across the advertisement. As far as motoring services are concerned, this is an appropriate means to advertise. However, as far as financial services are concerned, it would not work. EXCEED needs to target its potential market, regarding financial services, through a means that would create more chances of potential customers viewing the advertisement. When it comes to financial services, it is better to place ads on television and radio along with other products of EXCEED. In addition to this, it also must be asserted that advertisements for financial services must be places in magazines where financial services are offered for related products. This is believed to boost the chances of a companys product getting a response (Brierly, 2002, 27-29). Concerning Travel services, it must be noted that EXCEED could advertise through television and radio along with its other products. This would save them spending excess funds on separate advertisements. However, the main advertising for travel services would have to be done through travel guides. Just like other agencies and organizations advertise EXCEED too can do the same. the advantage is that EXCEED would probably be recognized through its name from other services and products it provides. In view of this, it must be asserted that there is also the reputation of EXCEED that can be taken into consideration(Brierly, 2002, 27-29). It must be considered that EXCEED is a company that already has many customers that it looks after and remains in contact with. Through this contact as well, services and products can be enhanced. This is a process that could indeed save some of the funds put towards promotional strategies. However, it is also worth considering whether it would actually be suitable to advertise through customers that are regular. This is because of the fact that some customers might feel that they are really being used to promote a company free of cost. Ot Consumer Behaviour in the UK Automotive Industry Consumer Behaviour in the UK Automotive Industry Consumer behaviour is dependent on few factors that need to be considered in any industry. In the Automotive industry, there are several intertwining factors known. The Internet as one knows well has its importance in nearly every form of trade. Trade is directly dependent on communication, and these days the Internet is considered to be the most important and reliable means of communications for trade. In view of the Internet being an important medium through which customers may be communicated with, customer behaviour becomes an important subject. Observing customer behaviour in the recent past, its observed that there is immense scope for expanding the automotive industry. This is because there appears to be a better response from customers through the Internet. Purchases of parts are easily made and are believed to be considerably reliable. For purchasing vehicles, advertising through the Internet is the first step towards pulling in customers. Indeed, this step is believed to be effective as there are a number of individuals who first see adds online, and then decide to physically check a promotion out. With the Internet growing more and more common in the UK, it is expected that there will be much more activity on the part of consumers, which means that the automotive industry is going to do even better than it has in the past. Introduction: The world has reached a stage at which everything is close-knit. There are several bodies and structures that interact with each other that appear to be systematic. Globalization for instance is something has many countries, organizations and institutions operating together. Each of the components in the globalization process exists for its self and is self-driven, yet the system functions. In this regard, one might assert that markets of different types and sizes function in a similar manner. The motive industry is an example with its visible effects. Consumers are actively participating in the industry activity, making it an increasingly viable one for people to invest in. The services and products are known to be quite reliable with an immense amount interesting them. In recent years this has been the case and in time to come it’s expected that there is going to be even more interest in the automotive industry. Methodology: This paper includes views of the automotive industry and the communication processes involved. It exposes each part in considerable detail in sections. In doing so, it has managed to cover several areas of interest that explain consumer behaviour. In order to also give on an idea of what strategies organizations employ to boost their profits, fictitious company has been included with figures that are relevant tithe automotive industry. In view of the strategies involved in this company (EXCEED) one can determine how important communication is in the automotive industry. It is clear enough that the Internet is of tremendous value here, and it is for this reason that it is important to analyse its use. The weak as well as the strong points are exposed here, and one can match these up against the ones employed in EXCEED’s strategies. According to this, one can also assess how effective EXCEED’s strategies are and whether or not they are successful in the automotive industry. In considering the success of the strategies, it must also be asserted that it is believed that the strategies are successful considerably because of the success that automotive industry has had in recent times. It is also hoped that strategies will also go on to be further improved so that the industry does even better . Description: The world learns through experience, but living in an image-conscious world may prevent one from learning through his experiences. This is apparently a dilemma considering the fact that one lives in an age of post modernism; a stage during which signs mask reality, and one is often deceived through image-promoting strategies. This is true to say because of the fact that signs, logos and big names are now common, and people are often lured into believing the authenticity of different products because of the promotions they have. Consumer behaviour is considerably dependent on promotion of products; the manner in which products are promoted directly influences customer behaviour. Each medium used for promotion has its own impact, and the one that is believed to have a tremendous impact is the Internet. It is believed to boost promotions and sales greatly, and it helps customers in their first step before actually checking a car out. It is through the advertisements on line that they may be attracted and then move towards checking a vehicle out physically at a show room. It is this behaviour that has helped boost the automotive industry significantly. In fact it must be asserted that prior to globalization, consumer behaviour was observed as having a major effect on the development of nations. This is because it helps boost the economy internally as well as having its impact externally . Prior to the 1940s and 1950s, there was no such aim because of the fact that there were many problems that the country was faced with internally. Socially there were different levels on which the UK had to bring the people together. And perhaps during that time no one had come up with such an idea to divert the attention of the people, which occurred during the 1950s . From this era began to the shift towards an improved way of life that would take the country into an entirely different era. This era today is called globalization, a phenomenon that brought many parts of the world together through faster communication systems. Globalization has in fact resulted due to the fact that communication systems have been boosted in recent years. This is also the reason why the present age that people live in is called ‘the age of communication’. Literature Review: The expansion that has been witnessed today in organizational structures an effect of globalization too because they are spreading almost all over the world. As Organizations expand it is understood that they tend to face problems in efficiency. These problems need to be handled carefully in a logical manner so that smooth running of the organization can be restored to the way it was when it was located in its originating country. For this to be handled effectively, communication also needs to be of the highest level. Problems in efficiency may emerge due to the lack of communication or the lack of skills with newer personnel employed in the firm. This is because they are not aware of exactly what the cultural atmosphere was at the original location of the firm. Since they have been newly employed they are bound to face problems such as these. Strengthening the leadership of an organization automatically means that operations will be handled well, which in turn means that there will be financial gain at the end. In addition to this there won’t be a shortage of executives if organizations indulge in setting up proper training plans for their apt employees. These plans should be implemented both, at home and abroad too so that uniformity is maintained throughout the organization. It is also essential that trainers do not get polarized in any one location geographically speaking. They should be allowed to exercise their skills and implement them wherever possible. This means that they will also gain maximum teaching experience which they can share with whoever the work with and teach. Three leadership techniques that have been found to increase the performance of an organization: An efficient and lean organization; A talent management plan that focuses on attracting and retaining high-performing individuals; and A performance management program that â€Å"rewards employees who meet set goals† (Dorgan, Dowdy, 2002) From the above points one can see that the major problem that lies in organizations spreading into other cultures is the internal conflict, but aside from the internal conflicts the trend of marketing American products abroad is one that is patronized by the people of those cultures. It is the people that make this possible, as human beings are almost always ready for a change especially if it isn’t going to harm them. Accepting new trends that are already in vogue in other neighboring countries is something that further motivates people into welcoming UK products. However, this is not only the case with receiving UK products in Asian countries . There is now more scope than there was ever before for products to be marketed. The marketing of goods across the globe is yet an extension of what took place in the 1950s. This may be said because of the fact that the effects of this process of globalization are almost the same as what was seen in the United States during the 1950s. The process of people welcoming products that are brought nearer totem heralds the current trend in globalization. This is the same process that was seen during the 1950s when consumer behaviour was on the rise. This trend is extended to other places in the world today through globalization, which means that there are a whole lot more people aware of what is available around the world. This also means that there is a lot more stuff for people to be engrossed in, which would further help people to be relieved of stress in their everyday lives. But it also must be realized that there are other things to consider besides stress relief and extension of cult ure (Annesley,1998). It must be realized here that there is an intense effort to control people economically through consumerism. During the 1950s this was seen as people bought what was advertised. Similarly, this is seen in many countries around the world that buy American products. An Example of an Organization in the Automotive Industry For this section, a fictitious organization has been named, but contains data that is relevant to the automotive industry and present-day values. In contemporary times this may seem to be a problem, as one may not really know which product to trust and which will be dependable. As opposed to having to depend on particular advertising to learn about products, people have often used other customer experiences as their guides. This means that people without experience of a particular product have in fact waited for others to purchase it; the observers its back and observes the performance and customer satisfaction. If a product happens to satisfy a customer, others will certainly be willing to use the same service providers. Hence, it can be seen here that reputation does matter to service providers and customers. In addition to this, it must be noted that experience of customers can be used as a vital tool in promoting services. This overshadows the uncertainty of that advertising may often portray. Though advertising is an essential strategy in promoting a product, it must be realized that there are several people that are not easily convinced simply through product display and the like. In view of this, customer testimonials are essential in proving authenticity of a product, as this proves how many customers have been satisfied and what customers have to say about. This is what many organizations are doing these days in order to boost their services. Indeed, EXCEED is one of them; EXCEED is a motoring supplier, and caters to a significant part of UKs market. In doing so, it needs to reassure its customers of its services and dedication them all. EXCEED is believed to be a credible motoring product and services supplier because of its reputation; its reputation is one that has been gained through reliability that customers have experienced through time. In view of this, more and more customers have turned to EXCEED services, as they have been convinced by other customers experiences through time. However, it must be asserted that an organization that operates as one of the biggest in the UK, cannot simply rely on word of mouth for gaining more business or maintaining its position in the market. Thesis because of the fact that competition can easily overturn one’s reputation. In view of this, EXCEED has to go on promoting itself and has to do so in a positive manner by focusing on its strengths and either ameliorating or doing away with products and services that are not gaining headway. Currently with the reputation EXCEED has, it is the leader in the Upmarket, attending to millions of customers. It has more than 12 million drivers depending on them, has around 3500 uniformed patrols on the job, and caters to 7.5 million calls every year. It is apparent that with this kind of healthy activity in their business that EXCEED is number one. However, like any other organization that provides services and products, EXCEED is not satisfied with what it is doing in the sense that it wants to enhance services that are viable and either do away with or improve the services and products that are less in demand. In doing this, they have an understanding of the market and what their potentials are, and this lays the platform for EXCEED to construct strategy in terms of marketing and advertising; a strategy that they and the customers too would gain from.*EXCEED also has been on the risen terms of the customers that turn to them. this is a positive sign because the number that turn to their services and products each year. With selling more than 650,000 breakdown policies a year, something that they currently specialize in, there is even more scope for improvement (Breakdown Cover, 2005). According to the figure below, one can easily observe that breakdown is apparently the primary source of income in EXCEED. There are other sources as well, but this is the most important one, and indeed one that they are promoting. The important point to realize here is that EXCEED knows its strengths well due to the fact that they have kept close watch on all the activity in the company. They know their past well, they know what is going on at the moment, and they also know what their chances are in the market. In view of their potential being strongest as far as promoting breakdown services, EXCEED believes that its marketing and advertising strategies are of immense importance, as it is through these tools that they can manage to attain a wider segment of the market. In view of the current state of affairs in the market, the following are worth noting. Product Holding: Volume Breakdown (motoring): 2,300,000 Motor and home Insurance: 500, 000 Other Financial Services: 45, 000 Breakdown and Insurance: 600, 500 Breakdown and Financial Services: 50, 000 Insurance and Financial Services: 5, 500 Breakdown, Insurance and Financial: 32, 000 In developing further strategies in order to improve EXCEEDs name and services, it is worth generally putting together some of the features around which the company could work. Below are few points that help paint a picture of EXCEEDs functions EXCEED is believed to offer more than just breakdown coverage; it offers: EXCEED UK Breakdown Cover EXCEED 5 Star European Breakdown Cover – Round the clock English telephone assistance. EXCEED Motor Insurance – 8% discount on line. EXCEED Home Insurance – They fish out a panel of insurers for their customers. EXCEED Car Data Check – Recovers hidden history of a used car in case you want to purchase it EXCEED Vehicle Inspection EXCEED Travel Bookshop – 18% off on line from the UKs largest provider of travel guides. EXCEED Driving School – Nation-wide EXCEED approved instructors Database Strategy through the Internet: Considering the fact that EXCEED has been allotted around 14 million Pounds to promote their services, it appears that an appropriate promotion can be created. Generally, for this first step, around 40percent of the fund may be used. This is because a database has to be established if any current one cannot be used for the proposed plan here. In addition to this and appropriate interface has to go along with it, combined with special features that only allow input on the part of customers. In view of the services that are already being provided, EXCEED needs to search into customer needs. This search would have tube conducted through getting their feedback. It is obvious that asking each and every customer about what they would like EXCEED to provide them would not be feasible; it would be better for the customers to have access to EXCEED. This could be done through allowing customers to have access to an interface through which they could feed in their comments and recommendations online (Fill, 1999, 53-59). They would not need to have passwords and things to that effect, as the feed in process could be made plain and simple for them. This could be carried out through creating some sort of forum where customers can view other customers’ views as well, and thereby give them even better ideas to suggest. In addition to this, the service could have a feature that provides one access to feed in their views, but after entering them, they cannot be deleted. In other words the program manager would only delete whatever is posted in the forum. In this way, comments posted would be safe (Yandi, 2001, 15-21). In addition to an online provision, at outlets where EXCEED services are provided, the company could maintain on hand comment leaflets or even registers for comments. The leaflets would provide customers with the opportunity of filling in their comments while they are free. The registers would have to be filled in on the spot. The data from these registers could enter into another portion of the online database for comments and views. The leaflets when filled when the customers have time could be dropped off at any EXCEED outlet of services. The data from these could also be accumulated and fed into the database as well (Tapp, 2000, 22-34). In addition to customers posting their comments, it is also advisable for EXCEED to develop a means through which employees such as the patrolman could give their views and comments as well. With this type of feedback EXCEED would be able to determine to what extent each side’s comments are practical. While the customers want services to improve according to their convenience, EXCEED also has to look at the possible changes from the employees angle. This would help the management come up with ideas that would satisfy the customers as well the employees in terms of easing their services to the customers (Tapp,2000, 22-34). In view of the management receiving all the comments through the database, the data needs to be sorted appropriately. Since it has all been collected under employee views and customer views, there is basically no real need to segregate the comments even further. However, there’s need for better arrangement in the presentation of the collected comments. This refers to the placement of services throughout the country and where the comments have been received. This also means that in each comment entry, a customer has to state which part of the country s/he is in. Depending on whether there is sufficient services in particular areas or not, EXCEED can enhance its services. In addition to this, they can set to work on the requested services. Since it is the Breakdown services that EXCEED wishes to focus on according to the potential in the business, they need to construct the feedback system according to what has been described above. In view of such a database interface being constructed and implemented, it also facilitates customer comments after improvements in services have been made (Smith, 1998, 25-41). In view of the use of database, it must be asserted that the major cost of it is only in the initial stage. This is because once the databases setup; it only has to be maintained and monitored. Direct Marketing Customers Program for existing customers: In the direct marketing step, it must be asserted that at least another 3.5 million – 5 million might have to be invested out of the budget. This is because of the fact that EXCEED needs a stronger approach to its current customers; EXCEED requires a more comprehensive set up with more communication employees in order to realize its goal. Assuming the amount is invested, the following course of action can be taken in order to develop direct marketing. Though EXCEED recognizes the fact that it has tremendous scope for improving the grip it has on the market and would certainly want more customers, they are wise in the sense that they acknowledge the value of their present customers; they know that if they satisfy their customers their reputation will remain as it was if not improve. In addition to this, it must be asserted that a company has better chances of maintaining stability in all forms when it focuses on the market it has already captured. Maintaining current customers is essential in terms of financial stability as well as customer loyalty. This is because the customers get to know that the company cares about them through the services that it provides them with. EXCEED knows its products and its customers too, but they need to remain in touch with them in order to make adjustments that the customers need. In view of this concern, the customers feel that the company cares about them; EXCEED needs to make the customers feel this way in order to make sure that the customers dont feel abandoned or stuck with a product. Hence, there is a need to make sure that each and every customer is aware of the fact that they can communicate with EXCEED directly (Evans et al,2004, 43-44). In view of the direct communication that is a major part of promotional strategy today, it must be asserted that EXCEED needs to communicate with its customers today as much as possible. In order to communicate with them they can have in place customer relation officers. These officers are in charge of remaining in touch with current customers. Indeed, there are many of these officers employed because of the fact that there are also many customers that have to be dealt with. It is not an easy process but certainly is one that is necessary (Pickton, 2001, 64-67). Considering the means of communications used, e-mail, telephone, fax,etc. are the commonly used ones. Postal mail is also used as a means of contact. However, emailing and telephone contact are most commonly used. Similar to the communication process that communication officers use to stay in touch with current customers, it also must be asserted that customers use the same means as well. In fact, they may even be familiar with the communication officers who deal with them. This gives one an idea of how the direct communication process works and how effective it is. Certainly, if a customer becomes familiar enough to know a communication officers name, it is obvious that the communication process used is effective enough to get desired messages through (Smith, 1998, 25-41). In view of the effectiveness of the communication proves, it is clear that product promotion can be enhanced. All the communication officers have to do is follow the instructions of the product and tell the customer about it. In addition to this, they can supply them with ways and means of getting hold of the products. Regarding the communication process being simple, it certainly is, but when one has to focus of the breakdown of it all, it gets a little tedious. This is because of the fact that one needs to know the market well, and see who is interested more in the products and services that EXCEED provides. In view of this, there are few factors that have to be taken into consideration. These include: age, gender, ones occupation, lifestyle,etc. Though most people who use EXCEEDs services would want to know more about the products and services the company has to offer it must be asserted that research into the current customer behaviour reveals that there are particular groups that are more volatile and more viable to work with. This is why communication officers may work more with some customers and less with others. This is not seen as being prejudiced in any way, but it is true to say that the process takes into consideration customer behaviour, and since EXCEED is dealing with millions of customers they need to focus on the ones that they need to build and maintain relationship with. This is precisely what boosts customer loyalty. As far as the customers that are not communicated regularly with, it must be asserted that they are also important customers but they are ones that are easily satisfied with the services they get. In view of the particular factors that are taken into consideration, it must be asserted that in the UK, both men and women are users of EXCEED services, especially breakdown services. While men are still more likely to be customers, younger age groups are almost even. Older men are more likely than older women to travel long distances, while older women are still likely to be drive and use EXCEED services. As far as one’s occupation is concerned, both men and women are likely to be service holders of EXCEED because of the fact that they are compelled to drive around. Lifestyle is another thing that is taken into consideration. Again men and women are both likely to use EXCEED services, but the younger they are the less likely they are to have EXCEED services. In view of some people not having EXCEED services, they can be targeted through the marketing strategy; current customers could be used to spread the word around. However, the more important point to focus on includes the need to market EXCEED more to people that have already used EXCEED services. If they have not been using the services recently, they can be contacted and reminded of their expired membership. In view of communication methods that need to be used, email and telephone is most commonly used. Almost all people have an answering machine on at home and a message would be easy to leave for the. Those that have cell phones could either be called or a message or mail could be sent to them. Emailing is common, and for those that use Internet facilities commonly can be easily contacted through it. In view of each customer’s profile, various ways of getting in touch with him or her need to be mentioned(Brierly, 2002, 27-29). Customers may be asked on order forms how they might be contacted; these details are noted down in order to make sure the more appropriate means of contacting a customer may be used. In addition to the communication means mentioned above, EXCEED could also promote its products and services through alternative means. This would include promoting products through magazines, television, periodicals, radio, and the Internet. This strictly refers to advertisements that are not personal, as they are opposed to emailing or telephoning a person. Though advertising in the ways mentioned here is quite effective, it must be asserted that it is not the kind that would stimulate the customer’s emotions. Customers need to be contacted directly when they are or have been regular customers of EXCEED or any other company; it makes them feel valued, and again here it must be emphasized that the value of these feelings are crucial to maintain EXCEED services as they currently are offering incentives is important whether communication officers use direct contact of advertising strategies (Percy et al, 2001, 18-28).The difference is that when customers are contacted directly and told about the promotion they feel more valued. What EXCEED could do is circulate information about a new product among their current customers; they could tell them all the important details about it. At a later date, the product information could be revealed to the general public through advertising in magazines, one the Internet, etc. Since the regular customers would have already gotten the information first, they would feel more appreciated and valued. These are the kinds of techniques that could be used current customers as opposed to potential customers because it is the current customer that comes first. This is because of the fact that EXCEED needs to make sure its reputation and business stand as it is and not be lowered. Acquisition Strategy for new Customers: For this part of the promotional plan, EXCEED is left with a minimum of 3million Pounds. This means that funds might still fall short because television and radio promotion in addition to other forms will have to be used here. However, since television and radio communications might be used in the previous step, promoting products for newer customers could also be included. This would help save great deal of the funding, thereby allowing the whole promotional plant be implemented. The following includes how EXCEED might implement their plan to include new customers with the funds in hand. Since EXCEED has already discovered the market and are aware of the immense potential that lies ahead, they can implement a strategy that would cater to potential customers regarding Motoring Services, Financial Services and Travel Services. Random marketing strategies could be easily employed. It must be asserted that advertising through the Internet, magazines, radio and television are all appropriate means. In view of the cost factor here, moderate advertising through television could be implemented in order to fit the budget given. Advertising through the print media is considered to be more feasible. This is because EXCEED could have their advertisements placed in periodicals or magazines that are associated with motor companies(Yandi, 2001, 15-21). So when customers purchase cars or go through magazines that have information on particular cars, it is most likely that they would come across the advertisement. As far as motoring services are concerned, this is an appropriate means to advertise. However, as far as financial services are concerned, it would not work. EXCEED needs to target its potential market, regarding financial services, through a means that would create more chances of potential customers viewing the advertisement. When it comes to financial services, it is better to place ads on television and radio along with other products of EXCEED. In addition to this, it also must be asserted that advertisements for financial services must be places in magazines where financial services are offered for related products. This is believed to boost the chances of a companys product getting a response (Brierly, 2002, 27-29). Concerning Travel services, it must be noted that EXCEED could advertise through television and radio along with its other products. This would save them spending excess funds on separate advertisements. However, the main advertising for travel services would have to be done through travel guides. Just like other agencies and organizations advertise EXCEED too can do the same. the advantage is that EXCEED would probably be recognized through its name from other services and products it provides. In view of this, it must be asserted that there is also the reputation of EXCEED that can be taken into consideration(Brierly, 2002, 27-29). It must be considered that EXCEED is a company that already has many customers that it looks after and remains in contact with. Through this contact as well, services and products can be enhanced. This is a process that could indeed save some of the funds put towards promotional strategies. However, it is also worth considering whether it would actually be suitable to advertise through customers that are regular. This is because of the fact that some customers might feel that they are really being used to promote a company free of cost. Ot