Kudler fine foods database

A description and justification for tables (permanent and temporary) used in the design of the SQL business application. Data contained in each table along with the characteristics and format and the manner in which the data supports the SQL business application.Customer: Customer table is used to track demographic information about customers. In this tables various attributes will be related to customer information that are address, name, email, phone, birth dates, etc. This table is an important table and will be associated (relationship) with order table.Inventory: this is the table that will contain the inventory information of Kudler Fine Foods Database. In this table various attributes (fields or column) will be Item ID, inventory ID, perishable indicator, perishable date, department ID, category, description, unit of measure, quantity on hand, unit of cost, master pack quantity, supplier ID, assembly item, substitute item and tag along items. This table has relationship with I tem, Department and Supplier table.Item: This table will contain information about each item made and delivered by Kudler Fine Foods. It will contain information about item, item type, price, labor cost, etc. This table will be associated with Order Line and Tax table. In this table taxable field will contain data types as bit i.e. Yes/No.Order: Order table will store information about an order. In this table various attributes will be customer ID, sales person ID, pick up time, etc. This table will be associated with the Store and Customer, Sales Person and tender table.  Order Line: This table will contain the information about order line and units purchased of items. In this table various field will be store code, item ID, price and unit purchased by the customer. This table will be associated with the Item and Store table.Store: Store table will contain demographic information, hours of operation, lease for the building and the contact person information in it. This table will be associated with Order, Order Line and State table.  Supplier: The supplier table tracks information on who supplies Kudler with its products and it tracks their location and contact information.Tax: The Tax table ensures that the applicable tax being placed on each item.  Tender: The tender table records the method of payments used on each order. This table will be associated with Order table.  Department: The Department table contains information on the different departments and will be associated with Inventory table.State: the State table has the state abbreviation as well as its description.  Sales Person: Sales Person table tracks the different employees. It will have information about sales person employed by Kudler Fine Foods.The above mentioned twelve tables will use data types depending upon the information they have to store. For ID purpose the above tables can use data type as Number. For storing date information  Ã‚   in the table the data type for fields w ill be Date. For storing price values the data type will be Currency or Money. And for name address, description the data type used will be Text or long text (Varchar). In case of any decision is based as Yes or No than data type Bit (Yes/No or 1 and 0) can be used.The entire above mentioned table will be associated in the Kudler Fine Foods Database with each other. The various types of information regarding order, customer, inventory, sales person, etc will be taken from the above tables by creating views or running query and report can be generated.ReferenceGavin, Powell (2006). Beginning Database Design. Wiley Publishing, Inc., United State of America.

Multicultural Psychology

Multicultural Psychology Multicultural Psychology Multicultural psychology is the study of human behavior and mental processes through multiple cultures. The focus of this field of psychology incorporates theories on culture-specific issues and behaviors. Study models can be used as comparisons in understanding ethnic identity in viewing similarities and differences of the structure of the culture. In recent years, the original concept of one size fits all psychology has changed to include multicultural psychology that focuses on specific cultures and uniqueness within the culture. The study focuses on how a culture varies from other cultures to how they are similar. â€Å"It is apparent that the â€Å"old rules† in psychology have moved away from monoculture to a multicultural premise and that these â€Å"new rules† recognize both an appreciation of differences as well as an understanding of the inherent ambiguity and complexity in psychological practice† ( Pack-Brown & Williams, 2003). Defining Multicultural Psychology Multicultural psychology can be defined as â€Å"the systematic study of behavior, cognition, and affect in settings where people of different backgrounds interact† (McGraw-Hill, 2009). The focus on multiculturalism started in the 1960s as minority issues became more prevalent in society, especially in the Anglo dominated countries such as North America. Multicultural was primarily defined in association to race or ethnicity. The focus has broadened to include age, gender, religion, sexual preferences, and social class. Much of the focus on multicultural issues was directed toward issues in society regarding equality; many were caused and generated by political biases, programs, and policies. Nagayama Hall (2010) stated, â€Å"Multicultural psychology is the study of the influences of multiple cultures in a single social context on human behavior† (p. 8). Brief History of Multicultural Psychology The study on human behavior labeled as psychology, has been traced back as far as the Greeks and into the medieval period of history, studing language, human behavior, and various human traits. In the early 1800s Darwin’s theory focused on an explanation of the evolution of humans and focused on the transformation of mankind. Throughout time numerous psychologists such as Freud, Kant, Mach, Hegel and Galton, to name a few, focused their studies on human behavior. The focus of these early psychologists’ studies relied primarily on a monoculture focus of human behavior. Cultural diversity has been overlooked for centuries and only in the past two decades has a stronger focus begun on how cultures vary from each other in their influences on human behavior currently are incorporating cultural trends. â€Å"During the 1980s, the percentage rate of articles in psychology on people of color remained at 3%. There was a percentage increase in the 1990s but the percentage rate has remained at about 4. 5% throughout the 2000s† (Nagayama-Hall, 2010). Opinions on the reason for such low percentages primarily focus on the lack of cultural (diverse) backgrounds of the psychologists. In 2002, the American Psychological Association Council approved and released a document of guidelines titled â€Å"Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists† (APA, 2002, p. 1). This document has provided a guideline for psychologists to refer to as the concepts of multicultural psychology continues to evolve and emerge into a specialized area of study in psychology. With APA guidelines in place more focus on the variety of cultures and the similarities and differences within cultural groups will create awareness of cultural diversity and increase educational efforts targeted toward a greater understanding of various ethnic groups. Rationale for the Establishment of a Subspecialty for Multicultural Psychology Although ethnic diversity is growing in North America and in many other countries there is also needs to have a growth in psychologists trained on multicultural issues to expand the focus to a broader spectrum of study. The need to encourage and recruit individuals with diverse ethnic backgrounds into the field of psychology has become crucial and providing educational opportunities to support the development of the field of multicultural psychology needs to continue to support the future of psychology. Many business organizations are expanding their focus to international levels that will increase a new level of human resources issues that will need to be considered and developed. With the development of international business along with cultural influences continuing to grow in the United States more multicultural research studies will be needed and the results recorded and published to maintain successful on various levels. Greater understandings of the variance in cultures need to be created and known by business professionals expanding their businesses abroad. The needs for multicultural professionals are growing and psychological research will be vital on many levels. For example, many businesses are required through the guidelines instituted by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to recruit a specific percentage of individuals from different ethnic backgrounds. The EEOC has placed guidelines when hiring and firing individuals and serves as a protection agency for possible issues and concerns of discrimination because of diversity or ethnic differences. â€Å"The U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information† (2010, EEOC). Through an improved focus on multicultural psychology, stronger guidelines can be set in place for education, the workforce, institutions . and society all that involve the interaction of a multitude of multicultural environmental backgrounds. Nagayama Hall (2010) stated â€Å"Rather than ignoring, neglecting, or reacting to cultural diversity, as has been the tradition of mainstream psychology, multicultural psychology is proactive and is helping to shape the discourse on race, ethnicity, and culture† (p. 19). Now is the time to grow diversity and eliminate the â€Å"cookie cutter† approach to the field of psychology. With the growing number of ethnic groups from so many countries, the make-up of society is constantly changing. Schools, businesses and entire neighborhoods are continuously changing as more ethnic groups integrate into these areas. The guidelines set forth by the APA provide psychologists strategies to work with society to educate and remove barriers that can come from the unfamiliar and lack of understanding of those individuals from different cultural backgrounds and ethnicities. The concept of monoculture in psychology must be eliminated and replaced with an active focus on multicultural issues in psychology to continue to evolve within society on a personal and professional level. References About the EEOC: Overview. (2010). U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Retrieved on April 2010, from http://www. eeoc. gov/eeoc/index. fm Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists. American Psychological Association. (2002) Retrieved on April 14, 2010 from http://www. apapracticecentral. org/ce/guidelines/multicultural. pdf Nagayama Hall, G. C. (2010). Multicultural Psychology (2nd ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Pack-Brown, S. & Williams, C. Ethics is a multicultural context. (2003). Psych Board. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications What Is Multicultural Psychology? (2009) Retrieved April 14, 2010, from http://highered. mcgraw-hill. com/sites/dl/free/007338271x/591940/Chapter1. pdf

Marketing Research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Marketing Research - Assignment Example It is also important that we understand that through awareness will improve on the public image of the company. Distribution research is also important in this type of strategy for Market share is important. In as much as the firm may understand the different types of brand that companies need best distribution channels assist in how the goods reach the customer in a very accessible manner. One strategy for business is how to keep inventory for the customers and how to reach the final destinations. By solving this challenge this can give Samsonite a very high advantage against its competitors. Samsonite should also include the pricing research as this is important to find the best mark up to charge their goods for having unrealistic charges can discourage customers from buying their favorite products. The financial aspect for any business is very important as this will make it possible for people to afford the products and finally lead to expansion of market share. 2) International marketing is the best strategy for Tim parker Merchandise. An international luggage company bag it requires a wider scope of people to view the product. The people with interest in travelling will lead the business to growth as this is of importance to ensure visibility of the product. The expert in sales has always suggested that there is a relation in sales and visibility. They suggest when one views something there is the chances of buying the product. It is likely that there are also campaigns of showing how reliable the product is. There are many products in this industry and the only important thing is to ensure that there is more campaign so that it can stand out. Marketing is one of the most component thing in this century is awareness and letting your competitors understand what makes your brand tick. It is always encouraging and it should not be assumed as blowing

American courts and the criminal justice system Essay

American courts and the criminal justice system - Essay Example This killed his victim on the spot. The unsworn statement however contradicted his earlier statement to the police that indicated that he had fired blindly while escaping1. Whichever the case though, William Furman would have been found guilty of killing (murder). This was due to the fact that the shooting took place during the commission of a felony. The suspect was tried for murder and found guilty largely on the basis of his statement. After a one day trial, Furman was found guilty uf murdering William Micke and was sentenced to death on 20th September 1968. (Roensch 2007) The Furman v. Georgia raised an important question of law on whether the imposition and carrying out capital punishment in that particular case and two others constituted cruel and unusual punishment. If this was the case then the ruling on death penalty violated the Eighth an Fourteenth Amendments. In a five to four decision the court decided that the death penalty ruling did constitute to cruel and unusual punishment and thus violated the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment. The justices articulated their views on over two hundred pages of concurrences and dissents. The issue of race came up with concurrences on the arbitrary nature on death penalty passed on black defendants. The other two cases consolidated together with the Furman v. Georgia were Jackson v. ... He was thus convicted of both rape and robbery and sentenced to death. During the trial, a psychiatrist refuted claims that Jackson was schizophrenic. He therefore declared Jackson competent to stand trial. Branch v. Texas Branch was also an African American male in Texas convicted of rape on an elderly woman. Though the trial determined that Branch was of below average IQ (lowest fourth percentile in his class to be precise), he was sentenced to death. Furman v. Georgia Trial Concurrences The Furman v. Georgia and the other two consolidated case were presided by the United States Supreme Courts Justices named below The Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Powell Mr. Justice White Mr. Justice Blackman Mr. Justice Marshall Mr. Justice Stewart Mr. Justice Brennan Mr. Justice Douglas Mr. Justice Powell Mr. Justice Rehnquist The concurring justices were Justice Douglas, Justice Brennan, Justice Stewart, Justice White, and Justice Marshall. This section will provide an articulation of the concurring judges and their respective arguments. It is important to note that the Furman v. Georgia case turned out to be a landmark case and revolutionary in some ways. It impacted or changed American Criminal Law in the following ways. The Branch v. Texas and Jackson v. Georgia case invalidated the death penalty on rape. This was a monumental ruling that had impact on thousands of cases throughout the United States since then up to this date. The decision ruled the requirement of for a degree of consistency in the application of the death sentence. The question of the imposition and carrying out of the death penalty on numerous cases throughout the United States arose. This was due to the fact that carrying out the death sentence on those and similar cases constituted to cruel

Book Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 7

Book Review - Essay Example However, the intrinsic qualities of both the works cannot be negated. In the book, â€Å"Taj Mahal† (Wonders of the World) by â€Å"Giles Tillotson†, writer elaborates the history regarding the construction of the â€Å"Taj Mahal†. Writer describes that the design of the Taj is the combination of Iranian, Afghani and Indian construction techniques while Islamic designs have also played an important in the overall construction. The doom and the minarets of the Taj are originally Islamic architectural techniques. According to the writer, Taj Mahal was constructed by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan around 1631 to 1653. White Marble is the main constructional element of the Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan bought the location of the Taj Mahal from Maharajah Jai Singh and presented a vast palace in Agra as an exchange for the land. The foundation took about 12 years to complete while the whole Taj took about 22 years to get completed. Shah Jahan, built the Taj as the mausoleum of his beloved wife, â€Å"Mumtaz Mahal†. Shah Jahan’s wife Mumtaz Mahal died during childbirth. He immensely loved his wife and decided to build a mausoleum as final resting place for his wife. The mausoleum has four minarets at the four corners of the foundation. Taj lies in the middle of the foundation. It has a single bigger doom. There are several rooms inside the Taj besides a wide-open place in the centre of the building. The foundation is about 5-6 feet about the surface. Wells were dug and then filled with stones to build the foundation of the Taj Mahal. White marble was used in the construction as the major element, while sapphire, silver and gold were used to beautify the structure. The beautiful gardens with lush green grass and trees and fountains enhance the mystical beauty of the structure. At night, the translucent marble of the Taj, shines and presents a beautiful scene. During the day, the sunlight tries to

The development of Blues and Jazz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The development of Blues and Jazz - Essay Example Like jazz, the blues originated in the Deep South and had its roots in folk and popular culture, namely African American spirituals, gospel music or folk ballads (Culture and Change: Black History in America). Ironically while the proverbial Jazz Age celebrated the material excess and splendor of the years of economic boom which preceded the Great Depression, jazz and the blues had their roots in the melancholy and suffering which typified the lives of African Americans in the plantation society of the Deep South. The sadness of these musical forms, though it speaks tacitly of the pain of separation and exploitation, does not diminish its aesthetic beauty. In fact, perhaps quite paradoxically, jazz speaks of sadness even as it embraces an extremely life-affirming spirit. Perhaps the most important characteristic of jazz is its emphasis on artistic freedom. Improvisation is the most central facet of this musical genre. Improvisation which is essentially the act of creating melodies an d lyrics in the flow of a performance debunks the very idea of the normative in creative expression. Improvisation is seen in the solo performances of the best known jazz artist, Louis Armstrong as well as in the â€Å"free jazz† styles of artists such as Albert Ayler, Ornette Coleman, and John Coltrane (ibid). The trajectory of jazz and the blues is many pronged. ... are many factors which imbue jazz with not merely artistic importance but also cultural and sociopolitical importance and an analysis of these is important to this discussion. Jazz was brought to the fore in the American society shortly after the end of World War I. It celebrated, thus, freedom, happiness and the hope for peace, all things that the annihilation of war destroys. Furthermore, the Jazz Age coincided with a crucially important literary and political movement in the U.S.A.-the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance, predominantly an African American movement emphasized the literary and intellectual achievements of blacks and called for social and political equality for the colored people of the country. Jazz and the blues and their multifarious manifestations, formed a major part of the movement. It was celebrated in its most immediate form, music, but its beats and themes were also incorporated in dancing and literature. Above all, by celebrating the folk roots of ja zz, the movement upheld black pride and the civic equality of all Americans. In terms of its beginnings, jazz is similar to the minstrels, ballads and spirituals which have existed in every society since time immemorial. These forms are what Mikhail Bakhtin characterizes as â€Å"low† or â€Å"carnival†; they do not adhere to normative strictures of the â€Å"high† arts and seek an audience that is usually not amongst the socially and economically privileged in society (Mikhail Bakhtin). Jazz is unique by the virtue of the fact that it transcends its folk roots to enter the popular imagination of not merely the U.S.A. but many European nations as well. In fact, in the 1940s when jazz had already enjoyed a decade of dizzy popularity, jazz musicians were willing to explore in other directions

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Philosophy - Essay Example However, such a theory needs some qualifications. For example, what is the process by which we decide which ideas are ‘causally related’? In other words, what are the cognitive components of the mind which Hume argues, go into related some ideas, but not others? The following will examine the relationship between inference and epistemology, demonstrate Hume'’ scepticism, and analyze Kant as a means of criticizing and overcoming Hume’s problem. Toward this, Hume argues that when we examine two distinct ideas, or in turn, two impressions which we might think are related, we supposedly find that we do not perceive any of the necessary, or ‘causal’ connections between these two ideas or impressions. Rather, Hume argues that what we do perceive, are only those ideas which are contiguous and successive. Hume writes: Without any farther ceremony, we call the one ‘cause’ and the other ‘effect’, and infer the existence of the o ne from that of the other. In all those instances, from which we learn the conjunction of particular causes and effects, both the causes have been perceiv’d by the senses, and are remember’d: But in all cases, wherein we reason concerning them, there is only perceiv’d or remember’d, and the other is supply’d by conformity to our past experience . . .This relation is their constant conjunction. Contiguity and succession are not sufficient to make us pronounce any two objects to be cause and effect, unless we perceive, that these two relations are preserv’d in several instances [Hume 87] Although a long passage, the preceding contains many of the core ideas surrounding Hume’s ‘model of the mind’, his notion of ‘causation’, and finally, the notion of ‘inference’ – that is, the opposite of a deductive or necessary form of reasoning. First, is the important notion of sense impression. Hume argu es that the mind operates by ‘mirroring nature’ – to borrow a phrase from Richard Rorty [1979]. An impression of the external world, is akin to a photographic image, and to this end, he argues also that the more immediate an impression is, the more â€Å"lively† [Hume, 1995: 98]. In other words, past impressions are more vague. The second important aspect of his theory of causality, is the notion of ‘belief’ or ‘understanding’. In this regard, he argues that the relationship between one impression and another impression (e.g. representation), is a relationship that is founded on ‘belief’, and belief itself is formed out of custom and habit. He argues that habit and not the impressions themselves are what ‘conjoin’ the two, given that any careful consideration of the nominal nature of impressions, will yield the conclusion that two certain ‘frames’ are different than another. By contrast, he c laims that notions such as â€Å"identity†, â€Å"time†, â€Å"place† and finally â€Å"cause†, are only â€Å"ideas† rather than anything which actually exists in nature and therefore understood or perceptible by the senses [Hume 73]. The classic example of two such impressions, are between ‘smoke’ and ‘fire’. Taken or understood as images, separately, that is, neither one of these resemble one-another. There is no reason, save for habit and experience, to relate one of these impressions with the next. Indeed, he argues

Was Stalinism Uniformly Applied across Central and East Europe in The Essay

Was Stalinism Uniformly Applied across Central and East Europe in The Post-war Period - Essay Example This essay shall focus on whether Stalinism was uniformly applied across East and Central Europe in the post-war period. Focus shall be shed on Poland and Hungary as case studies of scrutinizing the application of Stalinism in the countries. 2.0. Body 2.1. Stalinism in Poland The climax of Stalinism in Poland took shape in the 1950 and 1953. According to the study conducted by Coutouvidis & Reynolds (1985) at this time, Poland witnessed unvarying conquest and obligations to deal with the ideals of the Soviet communist policies. In this country, Stalin’s rule took the form of causing disorder in the society. In addition, the country was subjected to continuous forms of revulsions that saw the members of the public being deprived of various forms of rights and privileges. In reality, it is defensible to argue that the country was slowly being turned to capitulation under a dictatorial regime under the leadership of the Polish United Workers Party. With the country enjoying a dom inance of the Polish United Workers Party, the laypeople had nothing much to say, but to heed to the demands of the party. Nonetheless, it is important to comprehend that the country also had other parties, though these parties did not have any voice, and were merely ceremonial. Studies point out that these parties also worked for the benefit of the Polish United Workers Party. In the research conducted by De Weydenthal (1979), the kind of leadership in Poland relied on the hands of a few people. Through these individuals, it became a lot easier to administer dictatorial rule on the populace in the country. At this time, it is also evident that Stalin applied the use of private forces that boosted the ability of the communists to administer their ruling in the country. Additionally, through the use of the militia groups in the country, the communists were able to attract a huge number of persons into the ideology, since a lot of people in Poland did not have a soft spot for the part y. Polonsky & Drukier (1980) emphasize that a lot of crimes were committed in Stalin’s era in Poland, and all of them were well covered up by Stalin’s people. In fact the number of brutal deaths that were recorded during Stalin’s reign recorded an escalating trend, though all of them were all covered up by the people working behind Stalin. A lot of people were taken through psychological torture as well as physical, yet the officers remained innocent under the Stalin’s directions. In the case of Poland, Stalinism took the shape of destroying all the people that were against the rule as well as upcoming individuals who had the ability of overthrowing the entire system. The rates of murder went high at all levels of the society including the members of the church who were opponents of the law by Stalin. The concepts of the Soviet Union were taught to the society, even to the children of low status and the minors in the society. The country closed all the co ntacts from the West or any other diplomatic relations and shifted the attention to USSR. With the demise of Stalin, the whole situation changed and the country regained its earlier status. The populace had more enjoyed democracy that had completely been banded by Stalin.  

Market Entry Strategies for a Fast Food Company Essay

Market Entry Strategies for a Fast Food Company - Essay Example However, studies shows that the importance of taking into consideration the context of market entry constituted by the host countries’ institutions. The institutional context involves both informal institutions such as norms and culture and formal institutions such as laws and regulations. Collectively these institutions formulate the â€Å"rules of the game† in society, thereby constraining and enabling firm behavior and foreign market entry strategies. However, entry to a foreign market comes at a cost due to challenges posed by the institutional contexts of emerging market, which are often less familiar to developed country firms, weaker and less market-supporting and less stable. The four most common modes of foreign market entry are licensing/franchising, exporting, and joint venture and Greenfield acquisitions. Therefore, this paper will analyze McDonald’s market expansion for its products in the emerging market of China. The paper will consist of two secti ons: the first section will be a market analysis of China and the second section will be an exploration of potential market entry strategies by McDonalds. Market AnalysisGeneral InformationThe People’s Republic of China has a total land area of approximately 9,596,960 square kilometers. It is considered the third largest country in the world after Russia and Canada. It has a coastline of approximately 14,500 kilometers. China is situated in eastern Asia to the West of Yellow Sea, Korea Bay, East China Sea, and South China Sea.

The decade of the 1860s saw the success of the nation-building efforts Essay

The decade of the 1860s saw the success of the nation-building efforts of Bismarck and Cavour in Germany and Italy, respectively - Essay Example Denmark, Austria, and France were against the development of Germany. Bismarck declared war against these countries. He ensured there are no external forces preventing the development of Germany. The Germans made him chancellor. He used his position to formulate laws that promoted economic growth. He dominated the political field and ensured there is no instability. Germans concentrated in developing the economy rather than participating in war. There was the need of morals and virtues in the nation, for it to grow. Bismarck passed legislation that made Catholic Church an official influence in Germany (McKay 98). He wanted the people to follow right morals and respect God. Many countries in the 1860s depended on the system of alliance for their survival (McKay 100). Bismarck ensured Germany consolidated its power in the European block. He created a system of alliances to tackle his competitors (McKay 30). Germany became powerful and it was easy for it to acquire important resources. Bismarck always collected taxes without the permission of parliament (McKay 200). He wanted to ensure his economic policies came to success. Germany grew because he united the liberal middle class and German nationalist. He knew how to distribute resources. Victor Emmanuel led Italy. Under his leadership, Cavour united Italy when he became prime minister. He wanted to see the economy of Italy grow. The newspapers were the tool Cavour used to spread his policies (McKay 45). He used the newspapers to bring unification in Italy. He wanted to be a superpower in Italy. Cavour wanted this to be a success by forming an alliance with France. He had command of the Italian army. Cavour used that opportunity to fight enemies of Italy’s alliance. Thus, Italy received much international support. The country grew significantly in the economic sector (McKay 111). Furthermore, unity is very important for the growth of a country. Cavour

Unemployment statistics in US Essay Example for Free

Unemployment statistics in US Essay Unemployment refers to a situation whereby a person who is able and willing to work is currently without a job. The total number of employed people plus the number of unemployed persons who are seeking work is referred to as labor force (US Bureau of Labour Statistics, 2010). The participation rate is the labor force divided by the total number of working age population that is not institutionalized (US Department of Labour, 2010). The unemployment level is the difference between the labor force and the total number of people who are currently employed. The unemployment rate is the level of unemployed divided by the total number of working population. There are different types of unemployment types in the overall macro-economy. They include frictional unemployment, structural unemployment, natural rate of unemployment and demand deficient unemployment. Frictional unemployment reflects the time taken by individuals to find and get settled in their new jobs. Structural unemployment is the difference between the skills and other attributes possessed by the labor force and what the employers actually demand. This type of unemployment considers employees who are undergoing re-training in order to start a new job as being unemployed. It is usually increased by technological changes. Natural rate of unemployment is the sum total of frictional and structural unemployment. It is considered to be the lowest rate of unemployment that is expected to be achieved by a stable economy. Demand deficient unemployment is the level of unemployment which is beyond the natural rate unemployment. Causes of unemployment According to Keynesian economics, unemployment results from deficit in effective demand for both goods and services in an economy (US Bureau of Labour Statistics, 2010). Other schools of thought attribute unemployment to structural problems and inefficiencies which are common in the labor markets. Classical economics attribute unemployment to rigidities in labor markets resulting from external environment such as unionization of workers, taxes, minimum wages and other factors that may limit hiring of new employees (US Department of Labour, 2010). Other economists view unemployment as a voluntary choice of the unemployed and the time it takes them to find a new job also referred to as frictional unemployment. Efficiency wages and sticky wages are seen by behavioral economists to be a cause of unemployment. Unemployment level in US Unemployment in 27 US states was reported to have increased in February 2010 while seven states reported a drop in unemployment. There was an increase in unemployment in the state of Mississippi by 0. 4 percent (highest increase). The unemployment in Detroit fell from 15. 3 to 14. 8. The unemployment nationally by February 2010 was reported by Labor Department to be 9. 7 percent. However, job layoffs were fewer than previously anticipated (Trading Economics, 2010). Since the onset of recession in December 2007, 8. 4 million jobs had been lost by March 2010. The US official unemployment was reported to be 9. 5% in June 2010. This accounted for about 14. 6 million unemployed Americans. The black teens were leading with unemployment of 39. 9% Asians had the lowest unemployment rate of 7. 7%. The total number of officially unemployed and the hidden unemployment (29. 1 million) account for 18. 2% of the labor force. The graph below illustrates the levels of unemployment in US between 1999 and 2009.

External Factors And Influences On The Hotel Industry Tourism Essay

External Factors And Influences On The Hotel Industry Tourism Essay A business does not function in a vacuum. It has to act and react to what happens outside the factory and office walls. These factors that happen outside the business are known as external factors or influences. These will affect the main internal functions of the business and possibly the objectives of the business and its strategies. Main Factors The main factor that affects most business is the degree of competition how fiercely other businesses compete with the products that another business makes. The other factors that can affect the business are: Social how consumers, households and communities behave and their beliefs. For instance, changes in attitude towards health, or a greater number of pensioners in a population. Legal the way in which legislation in society affects the business. E.g. changes in employment laws on working hours. Economic how the economy affects a business in terms of taxation, government spending, general demand, interest rates, exchange rates and European and global economic factors. Political how changes in government policy might affect the business e.g. a decision to subsidies building new houses in an area could be good for a local brick works. Technological how the rapid pace of change in production processes and product innovation affect a business. Ethical what is regarded as morally right or wrong for a business to do. For instance should it trade with countries which have a poor record on human rights. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No Task 1- Mission, Objectives and Responsibilities of an Organisation 1a) Mission, Values and key objectives of the hotel group 1 And interests of the stakeholders 1b). stakeholders objectives and extent to which 2 The hotel achieves these objectives 1c). key responsibilities of the hotel group and the strategies 2 Employed for achieving them Task 2 Economic, Social and Global Environment (LO2) 2. A) the fundamental features of planned and mixed economic 4 Systems n impact on the operations of the hotel group 2. B) social welfare policy and industrial policy measures in the UK 5 2. c) Impact of two macroeconomic policy measures in the UK 6 And the US since the year 2011 on the hotel group Task 3 -Behaviour of Organisations and the Market Environment 3. A) shortcomings of two market models relevant to the hotel group 7 And show how they can affect the profitability of the hotel. 3b) factors of supply and demand income, price, weather, and substitutes impact 9 On the activities of the hotel group 3c) behaviour and competitive strategies employed by organisations in the UK 10 And the rationale for regulating the behaviour strategies Task 4 International Trade and the European Dimension 4a) the pros and cons of trade between the UK and other countries 11 4b) the impact of two European Union policies on UK organisations and 12 The hotel group 4c) Implications of the UK becoming a member of the European economic 13 And monetary union (EMU) to the UK economy and to organisation References Task 1- Mission, Objectives and Responsibilities of an Organisation 1a) identify the Mission, Values and key objectives of the hotel group and show how they reflect the interests of the stakeholders A Mission is the unique purpose that sets one hotel or motel company apart from others. Moreover, the mission statement gives meanings and directions to hotel policies. In fact, when faced with any problem, misunderstanding, or strategic decision to be taken, managers always, make sure that their decisions match the mission statement. In addition, the mission statement shall be general and broad. The mission statement shall reflect the interests of the agents interacting in the hotel group. Guest: Guest(s) represent one of the most important agents in the hotel industry. For no guests mean is no accommodation sector. Employee: A hotel with no employees means simply that guests would not be welcomed, registered, assisted for whatsoever specific they needs have. Employees are a primordial agent in the hotel industry Management Owners: A hotel with no managers resembles to an army without generals. Moreover, to have a hotel, investors shall poor some amount of money to build it, refurnish it, and operate it. Therefore, the mission statement tells how it is going to satisfy all the above stated agents so that they continue acting in the hotel industry. (Keller, 2005) Key Objectives Managers shall, bearing in mind the companys mission statement, come up with companys global objectives, Which are : Specific numerical Observable Measurable If objectives are general and non-quantifiable, then, it would be unfeasible at the end of a certain period of time to see whether company actual results match with the planned objectives or not. (Grimble, 1997) 1b).Identify three groups of stakeholders objectives and evaluate the extent to which the hotel achieves these objectives Property Owners They work together with property and to find innovative solutions that satisfy their economic, environmental and social objectives. Employees They recognize the importance of communicating information about their business and its performance to employees. Because CR issues are central to our company values they are a prominent feature of global management conferences, informal briefings, in-house publications and our intranets. (Hahnel, 2001) In January 2011 we held a Green Day at our Atlanta Offices to raise awareness of IHGs approach to CR. During the coming year we will work with colleagues to ensure that we are following sound principles for Green Meetings and Green Training materials. We will also set up a dedicated section on CR in our Leaders Lounge, a virtual community of IHG leaders that provides time-effective tools, tips and articles that reinforce our strategy and help managers improve their leadership. This online tool allows users to connect with and share best practices with peers and senior IHG leaders around the globe. Suppliers Feedback from suppliers helps us to better understand how we perform against our peers and gain a clearer picture of our risks. Wherever possible we encourage our hotels to source goods and services locally. In addition to IHG supporting local suppliers, we also need to promote responsible business practices by those same suppliers. One area we are working on with suppliers is procurement find out more in our Supply Chain section. (Myers, 2004) 1c). Explain three key responsibilities of the hotel group and the strategies employed for achieving them. Hotel Manager A hotel manager who is responsible for the day-to-day management of a hotel and its staff, They have commercial accountability for budgeting and financial management, planning, organising and directing all hotel services, including front-of-house (reception, concierge, and reservations), food and beverage operations and housekeeping. In larger hotels, managers often have a specific responsibility (guest services, accounting, and marketing) and make up a general management team. While taking a strategic overview and planning ahead to maximise profits, the manager must also pay attention to the details, setting the example for staff to deliver a standard of service and presentation that meets guests needs and expectations. Business and people management are equally important elements. (Keller, 2005) The manager of a large hotel may have less make contact with guests but will have regular meetings with heads of department to coordinate and monitor the progress of business strategies. In a smaller establishment, the manager is much more involved in the hands-on day-to-day running of the hotel, which may include carrying out reception duties or serving meals if the need arises. Sales coordinator Often seen as a dynamic and social working environment, hotels offer an attractive career path for many people. For those interested in the business side of hotels, a career in sales may be suitable vocation for them. Hotel group sales coordinators are commonly the link between the guests and the hotel company. Their roles involve a mixture of customer service, team management and brand building for their hotel group. Group sales coordinator has many responsibilities. Among them is the preparation of correspondence such as customer appreciation letters, helping to facilitate promotions such as half-price rooms and scheduling staff rotas to make sure the sales department is operating sufficiently. Other responsibilities include ensuring that the sales team meets its targets, liaising with individual customers and groups for detailed feedback on the hotels facilities and analyzing sales statistics to provide an accurate report for the sales director. Hotel marketing manager A hotel marketing manager works with the hotels advertising and sales managers to promote the hotels services and facilities. Lower-level managers, like market research managers, work together with hotel marketing managers to come up with ideas for creating new clientele such as offering hotel deals and incentives like free welcome drinks, a approving massage at the hotel or complimentary use of a business center. Marketing managers and researchers learn what travelers want and estimate the cost of including those services. (Hahnel, 2001) Task 2 Economic, Social and Global Environment 2. A) Discuss the fundamental features of planned and mixed economic systems and explain how each system can impact on the operations of the hotel group. Use examples of the hotel activities to support your answer. Planned Economy: A planned economy is an economic system in which the government or workers councils manage the economy. In such economies, the state or government controls all major sectors of the economy and decide all decisions about their use and about the distribution of income, much like a communist state. The planners decide what should be produced and direct enterprises to produce those goods. Planned economies are in contrast to unplanned economies, such as a market economy, where production, distribution, pricing, and investment decisions are made by the private owners of the factors of production based upon their own and their customers interests rather than upon furthering some overarching macroeconomic plan. (Anthony, 2007) Mixed Economy: A mixed economy is an economic system that incorporates aspects of more than one economic system. This is typically means an economy that contains both privately-owned and state-owned enterprises or that combines elements of capitalism and socialism, or a mix of market economy and planned economy. (Myers, 2004) Impact on planned and mixed economy The centrally planned economy operates under the rules whereby the means of production, such as the hotels, are deemed to be owned by the public and all forms of economic activity are controlled by the government. This means that the central planning authorities are responsible for assigning production goals of the tourism industry as well as the allocation of factors of production. Within such a system, the proportion of total output absorbed as investment as opposed to private consumption, together with the distribution of income and the range of tourism activities produced, becomes a problem of social control rather than market forces. Therefore, in centrally planned economies the decision to produce particular levels of output of tourism products is a social and political rather than an economic decision. The mixed economy is helpful in increasing national production in the country. Both public and private sector work hard to bring about more production. The problem created by fr ee enterprise and too much public control are solved through mixed economy. It provides freedom of enterprise ownership profit earning as well as social welfare and political freedom .However Mixed economy is is not helpful in achieving optimal use of national resources .The mixed economy suffer from the drawbacks of both the capitalism and the socialism. Mixed economy seldom achieved progress. It suffers from continues backwardness. (Alec, 1997) 2. B) Identify and explain two social welfare policy and industrial policy measures in the UK that impact on the activities of the hotel and similar organisations Social Policy means the study of social services and the welfare state. Social Policy and Administration is an academic subject concerned with the study of social services and the welfare state. It developed in the early part of the 20th century as a complement to social work studies, aimed at people who would be professionally involved in the administration of welfare. In the course of the last forty years, the range and breadth of the subject has developed. The principal areas relate to policy and administrative practice in social services, including health administration, social security, education, employment services, community care and housing management; social problems, including crime, disability, unemployment, mental health, learning disability, and old age; issues relating to social disadvantage, including race, gender and poverty; and the range of collective social responses to these conditions. Social Policy is a subject area, not a discipline it borrows from other social science disciplines for develop study in the area. The contributing disciplines include sociology, social work, psychology, economics, political science, management, history, philosophy and law. (Nyheim, 2004) Industrial policy means in essence  an activist approach by the state towards  support for and development of the economy. In the UK, state activism in this area was discredited in the 1970s  because extensive state financial support for the defunct UK car industry failed at 2. c) Evaluate the impact of two macroeconomic policy measures in the UK and the US since the year 2011 on the hotel group The main policies of economic management that are impact on the hotel group in UK. Fiscal Policy Fiscal policy involves the use of government spending, taxation and borrowing to influence both the pattern of economic activity and also the level and growth of aggregate demand, output and employment. Monetary Policy Monetary policy involves the use of interest rates to control the level and rate of growth of aggregate demand in the economy. Here are some differences in the economic effects of monetary and fiscal policy, on the composition of output, the effectiveness of the two kinds of policy in meeting the governments macroeconomic objectives, and also the time lags involved for fiscal and monetary policy changes to take effect. We will consider each of these in turn: Effects of Policy on the Composition of National Output from the hotels Monetary policy is often seen as something of a blunt policy instrument affecting all sectors of the economy although in different ways and with a variable impact. In contrast, fiscal policy can be targeted to affect certain groups (e.g. increases in means-tested benefits for low income households, reductions in the rate of corporation tax for small-medium sized enterprises, investment allowances for businesses in certain regions) Consider as an example the effects of using either monetary or fiscal policy to achieve a given increase in national income because actual GDP lies below potential GDP (i.e. there is a negative output gap) (Buchanan, 1996) Task 3 -Behaviour of Organisations and the Market Environment 3. A) Explain the shortcomings of two market models relevant to the hotel group and show how they can affect the profitability of the hotel. SWOT Analysis of Hilton Hotels All major hotel corporations, is continuing to recover from the events of September 11th. This tragic human event also delivered a financially devastating blow to the travel industry as a whole and to the hotel industry in particular. In order to fully recover and thrive in the coming years, HHC must assess its overall all strengths and weaknesses as it moves forward through the new millennium. The following SWOT Analysis sheds some light on some of the pitfalls and opportunities that await the Hilton Hotels Corporation. (Porter, 2001) Strengths Hilton Hotel Corporation (HHC) is a well established organization and industry leader in the hotel, hospitality and gaming industry HHC is well diversified across the industry with hotels in the high end, business and mid-priced classes in their product mix HHC also possesses solid integration features such as owning the companies that manufacture its furniture and has invested in online reservation travel enterprises Weaknesses HHC may be two narrowly focused making it vulnerable to a downturn in the global economy and other world-wide catastrophes that could limit global travel such as the bird-flu and a significant terrorist strike HHC may be vulnerable to workers strikes and crack down on undocumented workers in the U.S. Most of its holdings are in the U.S. Opportunities HHC should offer an array of distinctive and specialized services to the high end guests and high rollers such as Wedding planning hosting Spas that specialize in personal services Personal trainers HHC should look to expand into or acquire a cruise line A cruise ship is little more than a hotel that floats this would essentially match what it currently does with its leased properties Gaming activities would escape regulation, etc. Take advantage of emerging markets, especially with business class and mid-priced markets Threats HHC must be careful not overextend its efforts to mix entertainment and gaming Also the extension of credit and other side effects of gaming can slowly but surely nibble away profits September 11th was a major blow to the hotel industry. A similar event could result in another down turn. By studying national and regional industry trends, HHC will be able to take advantage of opportunities that will enable growth while identifying threats that may affect profitability. Growth in the hotel and hospitality industry will include a continued focus on gaming, international expansion and using all media to promote its products to potential customers. One recommended strategy for Hilton is to emphasize the importance of family in all its hotels, including the gaming and casino locations. Las Vegas has spent millions to attract families by adding childrens attractions as well as the traditional casinos for the adults. Most of the hotels have at least a small area dedicated to arcade games. However, some hotels have elaborate arcades, game areas, and child-care centers intended for those traveling with children (Hilton Hotels Corporation, 2007). Hilton needs to ensure they are right in the middle of this demographic of parents traveling with children. While the focus can still be on the high dollars that are tossed around in the casinos by the parents, it will be critical that the hotel have the facilities available that will attract parents with children to stay at the property. Since there is a greater demand and vacation time has become one of the few times that families are able to spend quality time together, Hilton must capitalize on this market segment. (Buchanan, 1996) Market Segmentation Market Segmentation means breaking down the total market into self contained and relatively standardized subgroups of customers, each possessing its own special requirements and characteristics. This enables the company to modify its output, advertising messages and promotional methods to correspond to the needs of particular segments. Accurate segmentation allows the firm to pinpoint selling opportunities and to tailors its marketing activities to satisfy on consumer needs. Through the process of market segmentation, there are certain variables to identify customer groups, such as needs, income geographical, location, buying habits and other characteristics . (Hahnel, 2001) 3b) Explain how these factors of supply and demand income, price, weather, substitutes impact on the activities of the hotel group. When negotiating a hotel contract for meeting or convention, some factors are influenced. First, factors that influence room blocks and room rates are based on supply and demand. So, if the hotel is in their peak season, they have more clients requesting the same space and can choose who gets the space and can set their price. Most hotels have a preferred pattern for arrivals and departures. If your pattern fits theirs, they may be willing to negotiate. However, if the pattern differs, you may have to pay higher rates. Be prepared, check with the Convention Bureau and ask what the normal occupancies are for various months of the year. That way you will have an idea of how much the hotel needs your business. If you can hold your meeting in a month that has less occupancy, you have more room to negotiate. Also, do not falter to ask for special items in the contract. The more the hotel needs your business, the more they are willing to give up or add to the contract in order to get your signature. (Carl, 1997) It may be easy to get that suite you wanted on a complimentary basis or at a special rate. If the hotel is going to have a low occupancy and would not be selling that suite in the first place, they have nothing to loose by giving it to you in your contract. So, what factors are involved that influence pricing when negotiating a sales contract for sleeping rooms, meeting space and food events? They are availability of rooms, room patterns, your ability to be flexible and especially you being aware of what the hotel is looking for. Therefore, do your homework before meeting with your hotel of choice and you will be better prepared to negotiate successfully. 3c) Explain three behaviour and competitive strategies employed by organisations in the UK and the rationale for regulating the behaviour strategies. Use relevant examples to support your answer. Organizations operate within a competitive industrial environment. Analyzing its competitiveness help to identify opportunities for and threats to the organization from its industrial environment, SWOT analysis is a systematic analysis of these factors and the strategy that reflects the best match between them. Considering the as an example, relation to the core competence of McDonalds, one of the largest food chain companies in the world. Let us first start with the strengths and the positive aspects which define the performance of this company. Strength is a distinctive competence that gives the firm a comparative advantage in the market place. For instance financial resources, image, market leadership and buyer supplier relations etc The greatest strength was creating an image in the minds of the people and introducing them to the fast food culture. Delivery speed, customer care and cleanliness are the core strengths on which these stores expanded. They created a corporate symbol and their advertisement campaigns were highly successful in establishing the brand image and logo in the minds of the millions. Two main competitors generally identified with McDonalds are the Burger King and the KFC. McDonalds marketing strategy is concerned with the internal resources, external environment and its basic competencies along with its share holders. McDonalds product value is also its greatest strengths. Customers know what to expect when they walk into a McDonalds store. It gives great emphasis to human resources by satisfying both the customer and the employees. Next is the innovation aspect wherein new products line up to catch up with the new trends and tastes of the people. Its diversity into other new business ventures can also be considered as its strengths. One major threat to any brand is its relationship between the management and the franchise dealers. Organization strength is the back bone of any concern and when that starts shaking the whole system will collapse. But slowing McDonald is recovering from all these weaknesses as its brand managers can easily communicate, compare and improve their services through the latest technological developments wherein they can use the internet to motivate, compare and improve upon other centers performances. The overall analysis of all the external and internal strengths and weaknesses on this company should be linked in order to draft a sustainable plan for the companies further improvement. For any improvement or expansion the internal resources must be readily available. And thus analyzing this aspect can lead to a modified strategy to suit its vision. Keeping in mind the available resources the planner should think globally. Hence making use of all the core competencies the firm can definitely sustain in the competitive market. Task 4 International Trade and the European Dimension 4a) Discuss the pros and cons of trade between the UK and other countries. Use the activities of the hotel group to support your answer Pros According to the U.S. State Department, the United States had implemented nine free trade agreements with a total of 14 countries and had several others awaiting final enactment as of September 2009. The agency reports that since the implementation of these economic pacts U.S. exports have increased exponentially and imports have grown considerably. Therefore, the State Department makes the claim that free trade supports economic development in poor countries as well as in the United States. Cons In November 2003 the Economic Policy Institute issued a report that seriously questions the benefits of free trade. According to the document, the rise in the U.S. trade deficit with its NAFTA trading partners, Canada and Mexico, caused the displacement of high-wage positions in U.S.-based manufacturing industries. Additionally, the report states that workers in all three member countries have been hurt by free trade, with many Mexicans being reduced to subsistence-level work while Canadians witness a reduction in important public spending in education, health care and other such services. The institute says that NAFTA guidelines tilt the economic situation in favor of investors while offering no environmental or worker-safety protection. Considerations While just about everyone agrees that international trade will continue, the debate over free-trade economics demonstrates the existence of two radically disparate viewpoints; those of the businesses and investors that have benefited from the adaptation of free-trade agreements and those of blue-collar workers, who appear to be losing ground financially. Policy negotiators might do well to consider the well- being of all concerned by adopting guidelines that guarantee a living wage to all as well as environmental and worker-safety standards. (Carl, 1997) 4b) critically analyse the impact of two European Union policies on UK organisations and the hotel group, if any. UK hoteliers are feeling quietly optimistic about the new coalition governments tourism policy priorities for the countrys hotel industry. Industry leaders are hoping for a new era of firm leadership supported by clear tourism policy. Many are hopeful that the new administration will place greater emphasis on tourism policy, support new investment and provide better co-ordination of Whitehall policies across the industry. With clear policies on regulation, tax policies and interest rates, the new government is in a position to provide better stability for hotel developers, owners and operators, despite cuts in public spending. (Easterly, 2001) At this crucial time, the UK hotel industry needs strong, unified representation to government. The strongest organization is most probably the British Hospitality Association (BHA) who has already raised five key points on behalf of the industry, as follows: Fewer regulations and those that are introduced should be more accurately coasted and assessed for their impact on small businesses. An understanding that the industry is a potential job creator and is the main economic driver of many regions in the country even including London. Yet, in an industry largely made up of small businesses, past fiscal and regulatory measures have inhibited private investment to a great extent. Greater encouragement by the government for businesses to invest, through the introduction of appropriate tax breaks and capital allowances (eg: Hotel Building Allowance). Only through more private investment will the industry be able to meet rising international competition. A government department (presumably the DCMS) which is stronger and more able to represent the industry with other government departments and throughout Whitehall. Too many local, regional and national tourism bodies are fighting for limited amounts of funding to promote Britain internationally, nationally and locally. Only some Regional Development Agencies have seriously supported their tourism industry while a number of regional tourism boards have been disbanded. A more coherent approach to the countrys tourism infrastructure is required. 4c) Evaluate the implications of the UK becoming a member of the European economic and monetary union (EMU) to the UK economy and to organisations operating in the UK. Use relevant examples to support your answer The Economic and Monetary Union or EMU is an umbrella term for the group of policies aimed at converging the economies of members of the European Union in three stages so as to allow them to adopt a single currency,. As such, it is largely synonymous with the Eurozone. All member states of the European Union are expected to participate in the EMU. The Copenhagen criteria are the current set of conditions of entry for states wanting to join the EU. It contains the requirements that need to be fulfilled and the time framework within which this must be done in order for a country to join the monetary union. An important element of this is the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM  II), in which candidate currencies demonstrate economic convergence by maintaining limited deviation from their target rate against the euro. (Easterly, 2001) All member states, except Denmark and the United Kingdom, have committed themselves by treaty to join EMU. Seventeen member states of the European Union, including, most recently, Estonia, have entered the third stage and have adopted the euro as their currency. Denmark, Latvia and Lithuania are the current participants in the exchange rate mechanism. Of the pre-2004 members, the United Kingdom and Sweden have not joined ERM  II and Denmark remains in ERM without proceeding to the third stage. The five remaining (post-2004) states have yet to achieve sufficient convergence to participate. These ten EU members continue to use t

Marketing Mix Analysis Of Le Bistrot Pierre Restaurant Marketing Essay

Marketing Mix Analysis Of Le Bistrot Pierre Restaurant Marketing Essay Introduction Marketing mix is used to describe the combination of different marketing activities that a business does to best meet the needs of the market it is targeting (Jobber and Fahy, 2009). At first, the marketing mix was compounded of 4Ps; starting with the product, price, place and promotion. Thereafter other elements were added to these tools and these elements were; people, process and physical evidence. Considering the added elements, the marketing mix of 7Ps forms a tool that businesses use to satisfy the needs of costumers in the market it targets. Accordingly, the purpose of this report is to analyse how Le Bistrot Pierre, a French restaurant on Mill Lane, in Leicester uses the marketing mix. Identifying where this restaurant succeeds in using the 7Ps and where it fails and proposing what improvements can be made. The main product in Le Bistrot Pierre is the food and drinks menu. The products must provide good value for money for customers and be of a high quality to entice the customers to want to spend and to make a return visit. This restaurants food and drinks menu are of a very high standard. The website notes that the managing team of the restaurant often go to France to taste new foods and drinks to offer to their customers. Le Bistrot Pierre also offers a breakfast menu to its customers at selected branches. Unfortunately, Le Bistrot Pierre does not offer a childrens food menu. However, if the restaurant was to offer a childrens menu it would entice families to visit the restaurant knowing that they would not have to buy their children and adults meal only for a lot of it to be wasted. Furthermore, offering a childrens menu would promote the restaurants family friendly atmosphere and increase overall profits. As mentioned above Le Bistrot Pierre offers a breakfast menu, however it only offers this menu at its Leamington Spa, Harrogate, Stockton Heath and Stratford-Upon-Avon branches. Therefore, its customers in places like Nottingham and Leicester do not have the opportunity to taste this menu. Furthermore, although these 4 branches offer breakfast menus they all open at different times, for instance, Stratford-Upon-Avon offers its breakfast menu from 7am on weekdays whereas Leamington Spa only offers its breakfast menu on weekends (Le Bistrot Pierre, 2010). One problem with this is that customers who are travelling throughout the UK and see a Le Bistrot Pierre restaurant may assume that they can get a breakfast then realise that the particular branch they have gone to does not offer this service. Though Szymanski, et al (1993) suggest that marketing standardisation across business branches is still under constant debate, the effect of giving customers mixed perceptions about opening time s and breakfast service across cities may be problematic. Therefore to ensure that customers have a good customer experience at all times the chain should offer the breakfast menu at all its chains and at the same times. The Price It is important that the price should be competitive however the food offered should also represent the amount of money that the customer is spending on it. The lunch menu at Le Bistrot Pierre according to the website is  £9.75 for two courses and  £11.75 for three courses (Le Bistrot Pierre, 2010). These prices are reasonable when one looks at other French style restaurants in Nottingham. For instance, French Livings lunch time menu offers a two course meal for  £8.50 and a three course meal for  £10.50 (French Living 2010). In addition to this, Le Mistral in Nottingham offers a 2 course lunch menu for  £8.90 and 3 course lunch for  £10.90 (Le Minstral 2010). In regard the wine menu at Le Bistrot Pierre, they offer their cheapest white wine at  £13.75 and the most expensive at  £27.60, and for their red wine, their cheapest is  £17.95 and their most expensive  £61.75. This seems reasonable when compared with Le Mistral another French restaurant in Nottingham that offers their cheapest white wine at  £13.95 and their most expensive at  £45.50, and for their red wine their cheapest is  £13.95 and their most expensive is  £45.60. The Place Place is concerned with the location so that the customer can buy the product with ease, and its accessibility to the store is another important aspect. In the case of the restaurant it ideally should be in a central place. This means that it is in an area of high exposure for potential customers, be they on foot or in a car. In regard to Le Bistrot Pierre, they are located centrally in all their 8 locations. These locations are in different counties in the UK such as, Derby, Harrogate, Leamington Spa, Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield, Stockton Heath and Stratford-Upon-Avon. Similarly, a new branch is being opened in Yorkshire, providing a wider reach to customers around the UK. A negative aspect of Le Bistrot Pierre is that it does not offer a car parking facility at any of its chains; therefore if someone wishes to park their car they will have to pay high central city prices. One potential improvement for future restaurants within this group would be to have a car parking facility to entice customers from the outskirts of cities to visit them. The Promotion Promotion involves different items and the ways in which businesses communicate their products to the customer showing the benefits of buying their products. Le Bistrot Pierre has 2 very popular promotions they do daily, the first is the Early Bird and Pre-Theatre menu which consists of 2 courses before 7pm and costs 13.90. The second is the Prix Fixe Evening with a glass of St. Jean wine which costs 15.50. In regard to special events, Le Bistrot Pierre offers the Soirà ©e Gastronomique menu on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month for 21.90 and the Dine with Wine 3 course menu, each course comes with a specially matched wine for 26.90. In addition to this, Le Bistrot Pierre also promotes its brand via gift cards that customers can purchase for their family and friends to go and try the restaurants food and drink. The People People includes everyone who is connected to the product. This involves employees, customers, management and the business owners; therefore everyone has an important role in making the business succeed. The restaurant need to have qualified chefs and staff who can present the product to the customers and are experts in French cuisine. Le Bistrot Pierre details on their website the type of person they wish to work them, noting that they wish to employ people who are friendly, enthusiastic, hard working and care about giving excellent customer service in a busy restaurant environment. Le Bistrot Pierres website has several reports from journalists promoting the superior quality of their food. Furthermore, Le Bistrot Pierre uses the media and journalists to promote their offers and competitions for free evening meals. The Process Process focuses on the activities done to the product before it is provided to the customer and the method or the process used to provide the service. The main element in process is time, if the process takes long, the sale of the product will be affected. Interestingly, the Le Bistrot Pierre team visits some suppliers in order to ensure the health of the livestock purchased. This evidently expresses the concern that the management have towards providing the customers with their monies worth. Accordingly, the quicker the process is, the more appreciated the product. In the restaurant website news section, an article taken from Leicester and mercury newspaper dated 3rd June 2010 shows an appreciation to this process of being quick and flawless. The only slight let down mentioned by the writer Gary Mitchell was that when he ordered chocolate mousse for his desert, he ended up with an Orange chocolate he did not order. The Physical Evidence Physical evidence can be defined as the experience in the use of either service or product. For example, brochures or pamphlets that describe the product to the customer to enable him to know what he is buying and its qualities. Also, the restaurant is furnished in a very warm way in which the high and middle class individuals will be comfortable dining and wining. Moreover, the arrangement of the hall can be adjusted to suit family seating. This means customers of different categories can find convenience in Le Bistrot Pierre. In the case of the different restaurant servings, it is described in its various menu cards for starters, main courses, desserts, and drinks. Conclusion In general, Le Bistrot Pierre used all the 7Ps of the marketing mix to meet the needs of the customers, though it slightly failed to use them fully as Gary Mitchells article points out. Improving the quality of the service, adding childrens menu and creating home delivery meals, would help to increase the popularity of the restaurant; though it has already set a good reputation in gastronomy as the restaurant declares it in the website. Furthermore, Le Bistrot Pierre may preferably consider putting the breakfast menu in all branches that do not have this menu yet. This should be supported by specific timing for the breakfast start in all branches. Finally, Le Bistrot Pierre do not have car park and may lose some customers. They could try to create arrangements (or contract) with the nearest car park and tell the customers they have free parking. This will serve as a means to entice potential customers and increase business for the restaurant.

Platos Republic Essay -- essays research papers

Plato's Republic   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Critics of The Republic, Plato's contribution to the history of political theory, have formed two distinct opinions on the reasoning behind the work. The first group believes that The Republic is truly a model for a political society, while the other strongly objects to that, stating it as being far too fantastic for any society to operate successfully by these suggested methods. In an exchange between Crito and Dionysius, this argument is first introduced, with Crito siding with those who agree that The Republic is a realistic political model, and Dionysius arguing on behalf of those who doubt it as being realistic, claiming it to be a criticism of politics in general.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both sides have legitimate arguments, and there is evidence within the text to support each opinion. When Plato wrote Gorgias, he made it clear where exactly he stood on his personal involvement in politics (Cornford 1941, xix). â€Å" Unlimited power without the knowledge of good and evil is at the best unenviable, and the tyrant who uses it to exterminate his enemies and rivals is the most miserable of men--a theme to be further developed in The Republic (Cornford xx).† But here, Plato was referring to the politics of his time, and critics who sided with Crito believed that The Republic was Plato's way of introducing a political system in which he would feel comfortable supporting (Plato 204). Conversely though, The Republic itself is summed up this way:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Well, one would be enough to effect all this reform that now seems so incredible,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  if he had subjects disposed to obey; for it is surely not impossible that they should   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  consent to carry out our laws and customs when laid down by a ruler. It would be   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  no miracle if others should think as we do; and we have, I believe, sufficiently   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  shown that our plan, if practicable, is the best. So, to conclude: our institutions would be the best, if they could be realized, and to realize them, though hard, is not   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  impossible (Plato 210-211).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These institutions of which Plato speaks are described in the body of The Republic, and not only does Plato ex... ... his work, which favors the opposition. But, his ideas themselves are in no way impossible to accomplish. Plato had this to say to sum up all his beliefs, there will never be a perfect state or constitution, nor yet a perfect man, until some happy circumstance compels these few philosophers who have escaped corruption but are now called useless, to take charge, whether they like it or not, of a state which will submit to their authority; or else until kings and rulers or their sons are divinely inspired with a genuine passion for true philosophy. If either alternative or both were impossible, we might justly be laughed at as idle dreamers; but, as I maintain, there is no ground for saying so. Accordingly, if ever in the infinity of time, past or future, or even today in some foreign region far beyond our horizon, men of the highest gifts for philosophy are constrained to take charge of a commonwealth, we are ready to maintain that, then and there, the constitution we have described has been realized, or will be realized when once the philosophic muse becomes mistress of a state. For that might happen. Our plan is difficult--we have admitted as much--but not impossible (Plato 208).

The Young Offenders Act Debate :: Free Essay Writer

Under fire from the date of its creation, the debate over the validity of the Young Offender’s Act continues. Should the YOA remain in its current form as a part of the Canadian legal system? An examination of the reasons it is seen as being ineffective, the need for change, and the suggested amendments and substitutes will provide an accurate picture of the situation from which a conclusion can be drawn. The young offenders act in its current form is nearly optimal. However, there enough reasons for its alteration that a serious consideration of amendments should be considered. There are a number of reasons why the YOA has been seen as ineffective. There is, in the public, a widespread perception that the YOA is not working at all. This is due to the large amount of misinformation that is sensationalized ruthlessly by the media (Good 1998 7). High profile cases of violent offenders leak, and, lacking details, the media presents an incomplete account of details to the public. As a result some people think that there are kids who know how to â€Å"beat the system† and are now out committing crimes with no fear of being seriously reprimanded. But, as one analyst and researcher reports â€Å"There are virtually no data †¦ that would permit an examination of this assumption† (Peterson-Badali and Koegl 1998 p127). Since once of the functions of the act is to protect the public, their fears are one a problem that needs to be addressed in any amendments that may go forward. There is, however, debate over the need for change. Some say the current act is much too easy on youths and that they’re getting away with too much. There are reasons situations, such as these misinterpreted ones, have come about. The YOA was designed keeping youth protection in mind, and experts in the area tend to refer to the fact that â€Å"†¦repeated studies have shown that it is not the severity of punishment which deters crime, but the certainty of it† (Daunt 1998 7). Therefore it is not surprising that thousands of good kids have been helped, and not hindered, by the current legislation on their way to a productive life (Good 1998 171). As well, the current YOA does have serious consequences for violent offenders, many of them ending up in adult court (Daunt 1998 7). One may also begin to see a bit of a trend: The introduction of the YOA in 1984 was to assuage the publics perception of a weak Juvenile Delinquents Act and promised increased penalties for you th offenders (Daunt 1998 7).

The Toltec, Aztec, and Mayan Indian Tribes Essay -- Pre-Columbian Hist

The Toltec, Aztec, and Mayan Indian Tribes TOLTECS> The Toltecs were an Indian tribe who existed from 900 A.D. to 1200. They had a capital city of Tollan, and their influences reached south to the Yucatan and Guatemala. They were a composite tribe of Nahua, Otomi, and Nonoalca. The Tolt ecs made huge stone columns decorated like totem poles. AZTECS> Aztecs were an American Indian people who rule an empire in Mexico during the 1400's and early 1500's. They practiced a religion that affected every part of their lives. To worship the Aztecs built towering temples, created huge sculptures, and had human sacrifices. The center of Aztec civilization was a river valley in Mexico. The emperor of the Aztecs was called the "huey tlatoani" (great speaker). A council of high-ranking no bles chose him from the members of a royal family. The Aztec society had four main classes nobles, commoners, serfs, and slaves. The typical Aztec household consisted of a husband and wife, their unmarried children, and a number of the husbands relative s. Boys were educated by...

Psychology and the Importance in Churches Essay

I believe psychology is important in churches today because when I look at the attitude and conduct of church members, it exhibits the function of one’s mind, social behavior and development. Specifically when dealing with the mechanics of reception. Religions and churches face different possible reactions from its members or visitors which are directly correlated to the human behavior of the mind. It is easy to see how the Muslims by their social behavior are so fanatical and often times all-consuming in their faith. Muslims are more inclined to say that their religion is an important part of their daily lives. It is said that nine out of ten Muslims said their faith was more important in their lives, while the figure was 85% for Hindus and 66% for Christians. We see that there are various levels of reaction; other religions could fall into the category of having strong and mild attachment, proving that the human mind is a key ingredient into how people react and consume religion. This not only plays a role in people with religious beliefs, it’s also displayed in non-believers of faith such as agnostics and atheist. This is so because religion will not have an impact on some individuals; they will be indifferent, having no particular interest or sympathy. While others may be observant, willing to learn but some will still be unmoved to come to faith or beliefs. These are just a few arguments as to why I feel psychology plays a pertinent role, because people that help make up all religions will have different reactions from their minds, thus leading to various behaviors and level of belief. Along with actions and reaction, the mind will also contemplate upon past experiences, this enables one to either come to faith or not at all, based on what someone had said or done to them. This is known as locking or unlocking the mind. In conclusion, Behaviors and reactions are a state of one’s mind based upon life experiences. Psychology and the human mind play an intricate role in the growth or stunt of a Religion or a Church.

Asian American issue

Asian American's have engaged on the issue of sexuality. It started with the same sex marriage ordeal in Hawaii in the 1990's. Same sex marriage has been a regular ongoing debate and Asian American became involved since the 1998 ballot in Hawaii. In Hawaii there was huge debate between many groups. First off, The Japanese American Citizens League in 1994 decided to affirm its commitment to support the basic human right of marriage which included the right to marry for same-sex couples.In Helen Zia's book Asian American Dreams, JACL were concerned about protecting civil and constitutional rights, whereas the general populace of Hawaii was not. This was the first national civil rights membership organization to publicly and actively adopt this position, and has continue to be the forefront for advocating same sex marriage. The JACL tried to frame this as a political issue rather than a moral issue. Discrimination was the big factor of this.They linked the idea of same-sex arriage to in ternment camps and the redress movement (Barney Frank). The moral issue of this was that people says that same sex marriage is against religious belief but the US Amendment says that religion and state are separate so that this should not be a factor. This lead to the ballet initiative 2 in 1998 in Hawaii. â€Å"Amendment to ban same sex marriage. † The yes vote was â€Å"no to gay marriage† and the no vote was â€Å"yes to gay marriage. † (Which made it a little confusing). A bunch of interest group played a big role in this.The movement to legalize same sex marriage failed in Hawaii because of how much the impacts of special interest groups. First off, JACL interest group voted no based on discrimination. The Japanese in Hawaii voted no as a block. Native Americans voted Yes on this ballet because they believed it would affect tourism and threaten sovereignty. The Gay/Lesbian voted no obviously base on their self interest discrimination. The Religious group vo ted yes on this because marriage in their religion is said to be a man and a women.And last, the land developers voted yes for their own self interest for real estate reason. The outcome of this was Yes 70% and No 30%. The gap in this was huge because of many reasons. The lobbing money of the Yes group helped. The moral vs the political debate played a huge role and the moral framing won because of the same sex was looked at as â€Å"inappropriate†. Morally, those groups Just believed man-women was what marriage is even though they do not seem themselves Just discriminating in another way.

Asos, a Company History Essay

ASOS was created in June of 2000 by UK natives Nick Robertson and Quentin Griffiths. ASOS, an acronym for ‘As Seen On Screen,’ was a small online business based out of the UK that duplicated celebrity inspired products. Today they have over 1000 employees and over 50,000 items of fashion. From emulating celebrity fashions, they now are setting the trends. In 2001, the company was admitted to the London Stock Exchange, and the company quickly grew from there. In 2004, ASOS developed their own label for Women and in 2005, launched a beauty line. In 2007 they launched their own men’s line as well as the extremely popular publication ‘ ASOS magazine. ‘ In the ten years after the business was first created, the company became extremely successful becoming the number one independent retailer in the United Kingdom. In 2010, started to branch out of the UK . ASOS launched websites in France, Spain, Italy, Australia, Germany and the USA, which made them an international well-known brand. Just in this past year they also launched their site in Russia. Today their website brings over 17. 5 million visitors month and as of 2012, they have 4. 4 million active customers from 160 countries. ASOS offers products under its own label as well as third party brands. These brands offer products in womenswear, menswear, footwear, accessories, jewelry as well as beauty. ASOS appears to be in a perpetual state of growth as their company seems to expand by the minute offering over thousands of new products a month.

What can you learn from this source about attitudes to women in Britain in 1914?

Source A basically reveals that women should pressurise their husbands/sons to fight in the war. Women should support men in their war and encourage them to volunteer/enlist to fight in the war even if they don't want to. The Government are dependant on the women to get as many soldiers as possible to fight in this hostile war and this might help in getting the role of women in society to improve for the better. The main purpose of this source is to get more men into war by manipulating peoples mind through propaganda, censorship, morale, patriotism, and Jingoism. Its one of the ways the Government tried to cope with the war-effect. In title of the source to the ‘YOUNG WOMEN OF LONDON' they have used bold, capital letters to emphasize that this source is directed at all the women in particular. In the first section it's tying to say that if your son isn't in military uniform, don't you think he should be (at the women)? They tried to show this by using a direct method of grabbing attention. The words YOU and THINK are in bold capital and underlined letters because to stress the point of recruiting more men into war by persuading their partner/women to make them go. It's like the government is pleading for recruitment. In the second that are trying to say that if he can't be bothered to fight for beloved country and doesn't think it is worthy is he really worthy of being a son or husband who will be needed in later life. If he doesn't possesses the characteristics of being: strong, brave, willing, courageous and patriotic then he really can't be called a man. The word worthy is underlined and in bold capital letters to get this point across. Thirdly in the next point it is trying to say you shouldn't feel sorry for lonely girls/wives because their husbands or sons are doing their rightful and lawful duty of fighting for their darling country. Also it is referring to the women as YOU which is in bold and underlined to tell them that their men are fighting for them and are repaying back their love for them. Being lonely for the women is actually better because they have a commanding role of running the family back home. In the provenance it is basically if he doesn't fight for his country (monarchy) then the women will also be neglected and left. If they don't car about their country which gives them everything and how will they care about you. I think that the provenance is propaganda which is used to persuade and influence the minds of women. Finally it says ‘join the army TODAY' which is saying that that women should convince the men so quickly that they instantly join the army. In conclusion I think that the attitudes to women in Britain in 1914 wasn't much better as they were only were dependant by the Government in recruiting more men to war. Some women might not want to send their husbands to war and were forced as other families did and if they didn't; their family reputation would be diminished. Others might argue that the attitudes changed because they had more family responsibilities and ran the house by paying the taxes, bills and working in factory. Also they might say that they have been treated well as women and have become more dependant and useful. Q3 Study Source C This Poster produced in 1915 I think that this poster is produced in 1915 because it has been one year in to the war and as Britain is coping with the war effects its wants more recruitment. The source is basically about women doing their bit for the war and they are getting themselves recruited. The purpose of this source is to get more men and women to help in fighting the war and is trying to say if a woman is doing it then more should do as they are doing it for their beloved country. Another reason it could be produced is that they want more women to work in factories and this in a way changed their role as by 1915, the new style of war meant needed them to fill in the gaps left by men such as working in factories, T-unions etc. Women were helping the war effort by doing jobs such as: Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs) or First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY), and as drivers, cooks, mechanics and land army. Many women ‘munitionettes' worked in the government's munitions factories like it says on the poster' learn to make munitions' which is the most important job after the army of making the essential weapons needed to win the war. This was one way the Government was organising/financing and running the war. This picture essentially shows a happy women getting ready to put on her coat, ready to business for her country. This emphasizes patriotism and commitment the women are willing to take. In the background you can see people (men) leaving for the war and are getting cheered on as they go. This also shows the recruitment of soldiers the Government has made. Women also took on traditional men's jobs and became firemen, coalmen and bus conductors to keep everything going perfectly back home. This was also a chance for women to shows that they can do men jobs and should have an improved role in society. This source compares with source b by because that this one is showing that women are doing their both whereas the other contrasts a bit and is saying women running land army will help win the war In conclusion I think the main purpose of this poster was for the Government to get more recruitment, men and women.

Digital Marketing Strategy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Digital Marketing Strategy - Assignment Example Gloria Jeans offers the market with the highest quality of Arabica beans of coffee species. The organization gets its coffee roasted with modern technological equipment in Australia. The organization objective is to capture some of the Malaysian coffee market specialty through targeting of thirty outlets thus creating a strong presence in the market lifestyle and retailing of coffee in Malaysia. The company can improve its presence online because it has adequate resources helping increase its presence physically and thus further expand itself both online and offline. Currently, Gloria Jean’s promotes itself offline and online. Its in-store does not give any link to its presence online thus its digital marketing profile seems to be very low. The organization has online intermediaries in existence such as Google, Malaysian directory and Yahoo that helps it expanding its market share and selling capacity to the online consumers (Myfranchise 2009). Google sites in Malaysia have been ranked as the most popular seven million visitors in the month of June in the year 2009 in Malaysia. This accounted for approximately y seventy-six percent of the total local population who get online. Research indicates a slight increment in the population of Malaysia who use the internet from eight thousand six hundred and eighty to nine thousand four hundred and one (Digital Media across Asia 2010, March 22). Approximately nine point three million people in Malaysia who are aged fifteen years and above do access internet from workplaces and homes, with each of them spending approximately fourteen hours online. New opportunities to capture the attention of the targeted market are offered by such growth of online users. Therefore, Malaysia bears the potential to increasing its population-accessing internet. In Asia region, Malaysia emerged the strongest country with strong penetration of social networking and nearly three point eight hours engagement per visitor. Many

Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 Assignment

Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 - Assignment Example Subsequently, in the year 2000, two additional protocols to this convention were adopted. The first among these prohibit the engagement of children in military conflicts; whilst the second precludes child prostitution and pornography, and the sale of children. Hence, an examination of the Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989, helped me in assessing the rights accorded to the child, by the nations of the international community, against child labor. Despite adopting this convention, child labor is rampant in most of the nations of the world. The Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which subsequently became the African Union, adopted the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. This transpired in the year 1990. The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child is to a major extent, similar to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It bestows an elaborate system of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights upon children. This charter emerged due to the perception of the African Union that the Convention on the Rights of the Child had failed to address several of the economic and socio-cultural issues that were peculiar to African nations. For instance, this charter unequivocally prohibited the recruitment of individuals, whose age was less than 18 years, and the employment of children in begging. Moreover, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child provided protection to refugee and internally displaced children. This source helped me to make an evaluation of the prevalence of rights controlling child labor in Sub-Saharan Africa, where child labor is rampant in its most aggravated form. Although the majority of the nations of African subcontinent, implemented the child laws in their legislation, most of it is restricted to formal labor.

It's All in the Milieu Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

It's All in the Milieu - Essay Example In most of these cases major changes are made to the text to render it into film in the first place, and then when a second film adaptation is made. The Lord of the Rings, for instance, left entire sequences of the film out, such as the adventure to Tom Bombadil, drastically changed the age of the characters (reducing Frodo’s age from 50 to 30), changed their motivations (having Faromir fall the same way Boromir did) and so on (Tolkein 1955). These changes are made for a number of reasons, including needing to cut down from a novel to a film, to create suspense, or so on. Rarely, however, a book can so readily be made into a film, that these changes are unneccsary. Such was the case with Psycho, its Alfred Hitchcock adaption, and the remake of that film Psycho (1968). While most elements of these three works were nearly identical they are perceived very differently: Alfred Hitchock’s Psycho is hailed as a masterpiece, while the 1998 remake has been widely panned. This d emonstrates that each story must exist in its time and its place, and something removed from its milieu will be entire unsuccessful. The plot of all three works is largely identical. In each case, a woman, Marion, steals a large sum of money, finds herself at a lonely hotel, and is then murdered by a mysterious character – ostensibly the proprietors mother (Bloch 1959, Hitchcock 1960, Van Sant 1998). When the woman’s family gets worried, they go looking for her, hiring a detective to discover what happened to her. This detective gets murdered by the same figure (Bloch 1959, Hitchcock 1960, Van Sant 1998), with the hotel proprietor still covering up his mother’s actions. The family then investigates for themselves, eventually finds the mother is in fact the son’s delusion, as his mother died in a murder-suicide years before, and that the proprietor, Bates, has been living in a codependent relationship with his dead mother ever since (Bloch 1959, Hitchcock 1960, Van Sant 1998). This novel did not have to be adapted significantly for the screen: the only major changes made were the methods of killing, with the decapitation of the novel usually being replaced by a stabbing off screen in the film versions, which presumably would add to the horror but reduce the gore, which can be much more impactful on screen, and would detract from the psychological nature of the story (Bloch 1959, Hitchcock 1960, Van Sant 1998). That the novel is close to the film versions is not surprising – close remakes can often be accomplished in the case of short novels and excellent film-makers, such as with Jurassic Park, (or, indeed, many other Michael Crichton novels). What is surprising, however, is that the two films were so similar – the 1998 film was virtually a shot-for-shot remake of the 1960 film. They both used the same screenplay by Joseph Stefano (IMDB 2012a), and thus were identical in terms of words, but Van Sant also mirrored almost every camera motion that Hitchcock made. The only differences came in a small number of shots: the opening shot of the Hitchcock film, for instance, was a long zoom that had many fades separating individual zoom sequences, while the Van Sant film was a single long zoom: this was changed because Hitchcock’s original desire was to have a single long shot, but this was not possible based on technology of the time, while in 1998 it had become possible