Ethical Code for Financial Management Assignment

Ethical Code for Financial Management - Assignment Example However, the codes do not define the organizational culture in regards to its role in improving the ethical environment and nature of employees. In comparison to my organization, the codes are similar. In my organization, staffs have a personal and professional role to perform tasks as required by the institution, state and the community. Moreover, employees are required to relate to partners, subordinates and peers in the workplace and community in a respectable and ethical way. Similar to Eli Lilly and Company, all employee are required to safeguard tangible and intangible assets under their mandate (Eli Lily and Company, 2014). Additionally, accurate information on the assets should be provided upon request. The ethical requirements are attached to an employment agreement provided prior to placement. In an argument Chun et.al (2013) the performance of an organization is determined by the ethical performance relationship in the workplace. Similarly, in financial management the requirement to ensure an exceptional ethical performance relationship reflects on the results obtained. The value of the financial performance of an organization is determined by their corporate social responsibility (Perrini et.al, 2011). Consequently, the efficiency of the ethical codes employed by an organization increases its financial performance value. In addition, ethical employee behavior in the department minimizes errors and malpractices thus increasing its efficiency and performance. Chun, J. S., Shin, Y., Choi, J., & Kim, M. S. (2013). How Does Corporate Ethics Contribute to Firm Financial Performance? The Mediating Role of Collective Organizational Commitment and Organizational Citizenship Behavior. Journal of Management, 39, (4): 853-877. Eli Lily and Company. (2014). Code of ethical conduct for financial management. Retrieved from

Rome civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Rome civilization - Essay Example Rome city has existed over the last 12 centuries. The civilization moved from monarchy to aristocratic republic governments and lastly an autocratic empire. Rome became one of the most powerful entities in the world due to conquests, assimilations that were mainly carried out in Southern Europe, North Africa, Eastern Europe and Northern Europe. Romans in the city believed that the city was founded in 753 BC, but modern historians assert that the city was found from a small village in the year 625 BC. The city was governed by Kings, and several of them had ruled before the modern Rome city. The origin of the city is connected with Alba Longa, the main city of Latium that evolved from Troy in Asian Minor (Liberati and Bourbon 65). The evidence of human occupation of Rome city dates back at least 14,000 years. The ancient legendary ruler, Romulus and his close brother Remus decided to establish the city. After several bitter arguments, Romulus killed Remus and decided to name the city R ome. Rumulus invited several neighboring tribes and abducted young men whom he forced to establish Roman senate. The Ancient Rome society contributed greatly to civilization of the government, law, politics, literature, art and religion (Lewis and Reinhold 20). Rome started as pastoral settlements in the Palatine hills and the Tiber River. Rome was strategically positioned since traders crossed it when travelling to the North and South of the Peninsula. Italian speaking communities such as Sabines, Umbrians and Latinns settled in different positions surrounding the Rome city. Etruscans was the dominant tribe in Rome at around 650 BC. During this time, Pons Sublicius Bridge was constructed to replace Tiber Ford since Etruscans had some great engineers. Within years, Etruscans expanded to the south were they later encountered a deadly conflict with Greeks. In the early days, every male Roman citizen had to be registered and attend a census in Rome. He was required to disclose his weal th including children, riches, wives and slaves. The registration and census was geared at granting the citizen freedom since those who failed to comply were sold as slaves. Census was a symbolic function since it made the Romans people who were capable of collective action. Such society was characterized by high hierarchy in the society in the social ladder (Liberati and Bourbon 85). Roman republic At this time, Rome rebelled and gained self-independence from Etruscans and abandoned the traditional monarchy government system to Republic government that was composed of Senate. Magistrates were elected annually. Etruscans also had introduced the worship of gods such as Juno, and Jupiter (Lewis and Reinhold 45). After 500 BC, Rome was now a republican city and joined in rebellion against Sabines thus establishing control of the countries it had surrendered during the Monarchy. In 387 BC, Rome was burned down by Senones from the Eastern parts of Italy who had successfully conquered the Roman army in Etruria. Later, Rome pushed southwards where the community engaged in the battle of Caudine Forks. Rome was later to be faced with Conflict of Orders that entailed political struggles between the commoners, and aristocrats. The demand of equality by the Commoners (Plebeians) led to the enactment of the Constitution of Roman republic that gave the commoners some real power and limited rights. By the end of the 3rd century BC, Rome was a pre-eminent city of the Italian

Economic Experience of Mexico since North American Free

Economic Experience of Mexico since North American Free Trade Agreement Essay The Mexican automotive industry has undergone a lot of changes since the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Initially this industry was dominated by US assemblers and parts producers. Policies instituted by the Mexican government affected the industry. US automakers in Mexico purchased large quantities of raw materials for vehicle manufacturing from Mexican owned suppliers. These in many times did not meet internationally set standards in terms of quality and price. Many companies therefore like Acme motors operated inefficiently producing substandard vehicles. These constrained the export of vehicles to the US. (World Bank, 2000) NAFTA helped change the setup to rescue the automotive industry in Mexico. This benefited Acme motor company. The highly protected automotive market opened up allowing Acme to consolidate production across borders. The industrial restructuring has permitted Acme to enhance its competitiveness directing its massive production to meet the ever growing market abroad especially in North America. NAFTA has therefore enabled Acme to identify production sites based on business factors rather than trade barriers. (Adkisson, 2000). Since the industrial streamlining in Mexico, Acme has adopted new millennium vision to become an international firm and the world’s lowest-cost volume producer of super-quality vehicles. The company’s management strategy has enabled production of better vehicles, increase in global market share, increased profits and developed reputations internationally. Acme has since reduced its engineering personnel by over 29% decreasing the labor costs. The company also currently uses one process to develop cars. This is a different strategy since initially different engineering centers operated under varied processes. (Randall, 1996) From the year 2000, Acme has constructed an over 5 billion dollars facility in Mexico. The firm produces a new line of engines with high performance ratings for their efficient power train system. They include Auto turbo engines and V-8 Quattro engines. The company produces around half a million engines per year each type. This has enabled the company to increase efficiency and reduce freight cost per unit by over 50% . Industrial growth contributes to around 25% of Mexico’s GDP. Acme motors contributes a lot to the country’s economy. Mexico has since become one of the most open countries in the world of trade allowing access from various countries like USA, Canada, Europe and others. The trade liberalization has enabled the industry to grow and Acme has benefited much. The good relationship that Mexico enjoys with international organizations like IMF and World Bank has helped to develop various economic sectors like industrialization. The World Bank stands ready always to assist Mexican authority in implementing their policies. The Bank mobilizes resources to support Mexico’s effort in policy design and implementation and Acme is a beneficiary. There is more trade liberalization in Mexico and workers’ rights are protected. Acme has been in the forefront in implementing the workers rights leading to improved productivity. The country has a close relationship with members of World Trade Organization. This offers more economic grounds for Acme to find ready market for its products. Acme’s economic contribution has been instrumental in Mexico. NAFTA has therefore led to massive economic transformation in Mexico. The Mexican industrial set up led by Acme motor company has since grown to greater heights. This has led to a general development of the country’s economy. Acme is the major economic contributor in Mexico.

Integrated Marketing Communications in Rural Markets in India

Integrated Marketing Communications in Rural Markets in India With around 6, 38, 667 villages, India boasts of the highest number of villages in the world, hugely populated by 720 million people (72% of India lives in villages). It is a market which cant be ignored by the marketers. Customers in villages have their own sets of aspirations and are willing to pay for the right services. Companies understand that that the rules of game are different when it comes to rural markets, especially in a diverse one like India. The rural environment is different from the urban and therefore communication to potential customers in a proper and effective manner is a major challenge for corporate marketers. An urban communications approach might not hold well in these rural markets and thus there is a need to have a different Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) approach for the rural markets in India. This Research Paper tries to explore and find out how Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) can be used in the rural markets in India and a strategic framework has been proposed for the same. Keywords: Rural Markets, Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). Introduction The global economic meltdown has taken its toll on the manufacturing and service sector of the economy, which, in turn, has slowed down the urban market. The companies cutting across sectors have discovered the importance of rural markets. With urban India in the grip of a slowdown, the rural market is helping industries like automobiles, cement, consumer electronics, textiles, telecommunications and FMCGs grow. While urban organised retail is in pain, its rural counterpart is thriving. All of a sudden, the consumer in the laid back Indian village is being spoilt for choice. The rural incomes are progressing, thanks to the Government initiatives like National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) launched in 2006 which promised employment of at least 100 days to every member of a poor rural household. This served three purposes: It built rural infrastructure Plugged pilferage of funds Boosted the disposable incomes of rural families The scheme was rolled out to all the 596 districts of the country. All told, Rs 66,800 crores has been earmarked for the programme. Another boost for liquidity among farmers came with the farm loan waiver of Rs 65,318 crores carried out by the Government last year. The bottom-line is clear. Customers in villages have their own set of aspirations and are willing to pay for the right services. Companies are understanding that to play the game in rural markets is to understand and innovate products exclusively for the rural consumers and after tasting success can also be replicated in the urban markets. For example, Tata Sky launched DTH (Direct to Home) primarily for the urban markets. However, in the rural entry, the package has been at Rs 99 per month which was a mini-thali of sorts with a bit of everything. The promotional campaigns included taking Aamir Khan as the brand ambassador who could easily appeal across the rural-urban divide and they also do a lot of promotions and demonstrations so as to motivate the local distributors who highlight the benefits of the service. Tata Sky has launched the Rs 99 pack in the urban markets as well. Advertising goes hand in hand with economic growth. With economic liberalization and increasing rural prosperity, marketers are keen to inform villagers about the benefits of buying and consuming their products and services. Prior to the introduction of economic liberalization in 1990s, there was little incentive for marketers to advertise their products and services, as rural markets were predominantly a sellers market. The influence of the electronic media, in particular television, video and the Hindi film industry, is contributing to the growth of rural aspirations, which are being manifested in rural India in the form of increasing consumerism. The rural environment is different from the urban and therefore communication to potential customers in a proper and effective manner is a major challenge for corporate marketers. The majority of advertisements designed by corporate marketers, are largely urban oriented and extend themselves to rural areas without any consideration to the values and sensitivities of the rural audience, which are often in striking contrast to those of their urban counterparts. This has led to a negative perception in the minds of villagers, about urban media planners and advertisers. Rural communication is not a peripheral activity. It does not, for instance, involve taking an audio-visual van to a village and assuming that this step is enough to reach out to customers. It requires an entirely different mindset, which demands getting rid of many mental barriers. Companies have to realize that rural is a long-haul market, as gains in the short term are neither immediate nor large. Challenges in Rural Communications There are many challenges to communication in rural. Low literacy level; poor media reach and exposure and vast, heterogeneous and diversely spread rural audiences characterized by variations in language, culture and lifestyle-all these factors pose multiple challenges to marketers looking to take their messages to the largely media-dark or media-grey areas, of rural markets. Heterogeneity and spread The communication pattern in any society is a part of its culture. No communication medium can exist in a cultural vacuum. Communicating the message to rural consumers ha posed enormous challenges to the rural marketer, because of the large numbers of consumers scatters across the country. The problem is further compounded by the heterogeneous nature of consumers there are 16 scheduled languages and 114 local vernaculars. For example, the dialects used in the Vidharbha region, in Konkan region, in costal Maharashtra etc. Limited Media Reach The limited reach of the mass media imposes limitations on universal communication to rural consumers. These factors lead to poor message comprehension and negligible impact, which fail to translate into consumer awareness and hence fail in generating consumer pull. Understanding the Rural Audience It is not sufficient to understand rural communication challenges as stated above: rather, what is equally crucial is the need to understand the behavioural and psychographic characteristics of the rural audience, in order to develop an effective rural communication strategy. Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Tools IMC is a management concept that is designed to make all aspects of marketing communication such as advertising, sales promotion, public relations, personal selling and direct marketing work together as a unified force, rather than permitting each to work in isolation. Advertising Advertising has four characteristics: it is persuasive in nature; it is non-personal; it is paid for by an identified sponsor; and it is disseminated through mass channels of communication. Advertising messages may promote the adoption of goods, services, persons, or ideas. Because the sales message is disseminated through the mass media-as opposed to personal selling-it is viewed as a much cheaper way of reaching consumers. However, its non-personal nature means it lacks the ability to tailor the sales message to the message recipient and, more importantly, actually get the sale. Therefore, advertising effects are best measured in terms of increasing awareness and changing attitudes and opinions, not creating sales. Advertisings contribution to sales is difficult to isolate because many factors influence sales. The contribution advertising makes to sales are best viewed over the long run. The exception to this thinking is within the internet arena. While banner ads, pop-ups and inte rstitials should still be viewed as brand promoting and not necessarily sales drivers, technology provides the ability to track how many of a websites visitors click the banner, investigate a product, request more information, and ultimately make a purchase. Through the use of symbols and images advertising can help differentiate products and services that are otherwise similar. Advertising also helps create and maintain brand equity. Brand equity is an intangible asset that results from a favorable image, impressions of differentiation, or consumer attachment to the company, brand, or trademark. This equity translates into greater sales volume, and/or higher margins, thus greater competitive advantage. Brand equity is established and maintained through advertising that focuses on image, product attributes, service, or other features of the company and its products or services. Cost is the greatest disadvantage of advertising. The average cost for a 30-second spot on network television increased fivefold between 1980 and 2005. Plus, the average cost of producing a 30-second ad for network television is quite expensive. It is not uncommon for a national advertiser to spend in the millions of dollars for one 30-second commercial to be produced. Add more millions on top of that if celebrity talent is utilized. Credibility and clutter are other disadvantages. Consumers have become increasingly skeptical about advertising messages and tend to resent advertisers attempt to persuade. Advertising is everywhere, from network television, to daily newspapers, to roadside billboards, to golf course signs, to stickers on fruit in grocery stores. Clutter encourages consumers to ignore many advertising messages. New media are emerging, such as DVRs (digital video recorders) which allow consumers to record programs and then skip commercials, and satellite radio which provides a majority of its channels advertising free. Public Relations (PR) Public relations is defined as a management function which identifies, establishes, and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the public upon which its success or failure depends. Whereas advertising is a one-way communication from sender (the marketer) to the receiver (the consumer or the retail trade), public relations considers multiple audiences (consumers, employees, suppliers, vendors, etc.) and uses two-way communication to monitor feedback and adjust both its message and the organizations actions for maximum benefit. A primary tool used by public relations practitioners is publicity. Publicity capitalizes on the news value of a product, service, idea, person or event so that the information can be disseminated through the news media. This third party endorsement by the news media provides a vital boost to the marketing communication message: credibility. Articles in the media are perceived as being more objective than advertisements, and thei r messages are more likely to be absorbed and believed. For example, after the CBS newsmagazine 60 Minutes reported in the early 1990s that drinking moderate amounts of red wine could prevent heart attacks by lowering cholesterol, red wine sales in the United States increased 50 percent. Another benefit publicity offers is that it is free, not considering the great amount of effort it can require to get out-bound publicity noticed and picked up by media sources. Public relations role in the promotional mix is becoming more important because of what Philip Kotler describes as an over communicated society. Consumers develop communication-avoidance routines where they are likely to tune out commercial messages. As advertising loses some of its cost-effectiveness, marketers are turning to news coverage, events, and community programs to help disseminate their product and company messages. Some consumers may also base their purchase decisions on the image of the company, for example, how environmentally responsible the company is. In this regard, public relations plays an important role in presenting, through news reports, sponsorships, advertorials (a form of advertising that instead of selling a product or service promotes the companys views regarding current issues), and other forms of communication, what the company stands for. Sales Promotions (SP) Sales promotions are direct inducements that offer extra incentives to enhance or accelerate the products movement from producer to consumer. Sales promotions may be directed at the consumer or the trade. Consumer promotions such as coupons, sampling, premiums, sweepstakes, price packs (packs that offer greater quantity or lower cost than normal), low-cost financing deals, and rebates are purchase incentives in that they induce product trial and encourage repurchase. Consumer promotions may also include incentives to visit a retail establishment or request additional information. Trade promotions include slotting allowances (buying shelf space in retail stores), allowances for featuring the brand in retail advertising, display and merchandising allowances, buying allowances (volume discounts and other volume-oriented incentives), bill back allowances (pay-for-performance incentives), incentives to salespeople, and other tactics to encourage retailers to carry the item and to push the brand. Two perspectives may be found among marketers regarding sales promotion. First, sales promotion is supplemental to advertising in that it binds the role of advertising with personal selling. This view regards sales promotion as a minor player in the marketing communication program. A second view regards sales promotion and advertising as distinct functions with objectives and strategies very different from each other. Sales promotion in this sense is equal to or even more important than advertising. Some companies allocate as much as 75 percent of their advertising/promotion dollars to sales promotion and just 25 percent to advertising. Finding the right balance is often a difficult task. The main purpose of sales promotion is to spur action. Advertising sets up the deal by developing a brand reputation and building market value. Sales promotion helps close the deal by providing incentives that build market volume. Sales promotions can motivate customers to select a particular brand, especially when brands appear to be equal, and they can produce more immediate and measurable results than advertising. However, too heavy a reliance on sales promotions results in deal-prone consumers with little brand loyalty and too much price sensitivity. Sales promotions can also force competitors to offer similar inducements, with sales and profits suffering for everyone. Personal Selling (PS) Personal selling includes all person-to-person contact with customers with the purpose of introducing the product to the customer, convincing him or her of the products value, and closing the sale. The role of personal selling varies from organization to organization, depending on the nature and size of the company, the industry, and the products or services it is marketing. Many marketing executives realize that both sales and non-sales employees act as salespeople for their organization in one way or another. One study that perhaps supports this contention found that marketing executives predicted greater emphasis being placed on sales management and personal selling in their organization than on any other promotional mix element. These organizations have launched training sessions that show employees how they act as salespeople for the organization and how they can improve their interpersonal skills with clients, customers, and prospects. Employee reward programs now reward employ ees for their efforts in this regard. Personal selling is the most effective way to make a sale because of the interpersonal communication between the salesperson and the prospect. Messages can be tailored to particular situations, immediate feedback can be processed, and message strategies can be changed to accommodate the feedback. However, personal selling is the most expensive way to make a sale, with the average cost per sales call ranging from $235 to $332 and the average number of sales calls needed to close a deal being between three and six personal calls. Sales and marketing management classifies salespersons into one of three groups: creative selling, order taking, and missionary sales reps. Creative selling jobs require the most skills and preparation. They are the point person for the sales function. They prospect for customers, analyze situations, determine how their company can satisfy wants and needs of prospects, and, most importantly, get an order. Order takers take over after the initial order is received. They handle repeat purchases (straight rebuys) and modified rebuys. Missionary sales reps service accounts by introducing new products, promotions, and other programs. Orders are taken by order takers or by distributors. Direct Marketing (DM) Direct marketing, the oldest form of marketing, is the process of communicating directly with target customers to encourage response by telephone, mail, electronic means, or personal visit. Users of direct marketing include retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, and service providers, and they use a variety of methods including direct mail, telemarketing, direct-response advertising, online computer shopping services, cable shopping networks, and infomercials. Traditionally not viewed as an element in the promotional mix, direct marketing represents one of the most profound changes in marketing and promotion in the last 25 years. Aspects of direct marketing, which includes direct response advertising and direct mail advertising as well as the various research and support activities necessary for their implementation, have been adopted by virtually all companies engaged in marketing products, services, ideas, or persons. Direct marketing has become an important part of many marketing communication programs for three reasons. First, the number of two-income households has increased dramatically. About six in every ten women in the United States work outside the home. This has reduced the amount of time families have for shopping trips. Secondly, more shoppers than ever before rely on credit cards for payment of goods and services. These cashless transactions make products easier and faster to purchase. Finally, technological advances in telecommunications and computers allow consumers to make purchases from their homes via telephone, television, or computer with ease and safety. These three factors have dramatically altered the purchasing habits of American consumers and made direct marketing a growing field worldwide. Direct marketing allows a company to target more precisely a segment of customers and prospects with a sales message tailored to their specific needs and characteristics. Unlike advertising and public relations, whose connections to actual sales are tenuous or nebulous at best, direct marketing offers accountability by providing tangible results. The economics of direct marketing have also improved over the years as more information is gathered about customers and prospects. By identifying those consumers they can serve more effectively and profitably, companies may be more efficient in their marketing efforts. Whereas network television in the past offered opportunities to reach huge groups of consumers at a low cost per thousand, direct marketing can reach individual consumers and develop a relationship with each of them. Research indicates that brands with strong brand equity are more successful in direct marketing efforts than little-known brands. Direct marketing, then, works best when other marketing communication such as traditional media advertising supports the direct marketing effort. Direct marketing has its drawbacks also. Just as consumers built resistance to the persuasive nature of advertising, so have they with direct marketing efforts. Direct marketers have responded by being less sales oriented and more relationship oriented. Also, just as consumers grew weary of advertising clutter, so have they with the direct marketing efforts. Consumers are bombarded with mail, infomercials, and telemarketing pitches daily. Some direct marketers have responded by regarding privacy as a customer service benefit. Direct marketers must also overcome consumer mistrust of direct marketing efforts due to incidents of illegal behavior by companies and individuals using direct marketing. The U.S. Postal Service, the Federal Trade Commission, and other federal and state agencies may prosecute criminal acts. The industry then risks legislation regulating the behavior of direct marketers if it is not successful in self-regulation. The Direct Marketing Association, the leading tra de organization for direct marketing, works with companies and government agencies to initiate self-regulation. In March of 2003 the National Do Not Call Registry went into affect whereby consumers added their names to a list that telemarketers had to eliminate from their out-bound call database. Emerging Tools of IMC Sponsorships (Event Marketing) Sponsorships, or event marketing, combine advertising and sales promotions with public relations. Sponsorships increase awareness of a company or product, build loyalty with a specific target audience, help differentiate a product from its competitors, provide merchandising opportunities, demonstrate commitment to a community or ethnic group, or impact the bottom line. Like advertising, sponsorships are initiated to build long-term associations. Organizations sometimes compare sponsorships with advertising by using gross impressions or cost-per-thousand measurements. However, the value of sponsorships can be very difficult to measure. Companies considering sponsorships should consider the short-term public relations value of sponsorships and the long-term goals of the organization. Sports sponsorships make up about two-thirds of all sponsorships. Social Media Marketing The concept of social media marketing basically refers to the process of promoting business or websites through social media channels. It is a powerful marketing medium that is defining the way people are communicating. It is one of the significantly low-cost promotional methods that provide businesses large numbers of links and huge amount of traffic. Companies manage to get massive attention and that really works in favour of the business. Social media marketing is a potent method applied by progressive companies for selling their products/services or for just publishing content for advertisement revenue. Social media is an extremely useful tool using which companies can get their information, product descriptions, promotions all ingrained in the chain of networking world. Considering the newness of this marketing method, organizations are coming up with innovative ways to develop their marketing plans. New platforms are being created to approach potential clients. A large number of business organizations are allocating budget for online business development using social media marketing. It is a booming sector which is going to redefine the way marketing strategies are being formed and promoted. Internet Marketing Internet marketing also referred to as i-marketing, web-marketing, online-marketing or e-Marketing, is the marketing of products or services over the Internet. The Internet has brought media to a global audience. The interactive nature of Internet marketing in terms of providing instant responses and eliciting responses are the unique qualities of the medium. Internet marketing is sometimes considered to be broad in scope because it not only refers to marketing on the Internet, but also includes marketing done via e-mail and wireless media. Management of digital customer data and electronic customer relationship management (ECRM) systems are also often grouped together under internet marketing. Internet marketing ties together creative and technical aspects of the Internet, including: design, development, advertising, and sales. Internet marketing also refers to the placement of media along many different stages of the customer engagement cycle through search engine marketing (SEM), search engine optimization (SEO), banner ads on specific websites, e-mail marketing, and Web 2.0 strategies. Mobile Marketing Mobile Marketing involves communicating with the consumer via cellular (or mobile) device, either to send a simple marketing message, to introduce them to a new audience participation-based campaign or to allow them to visit a mobile website. Mobile connectivity not only enables people to connect to the Internet via a cellular telephone, PDA or other gadget, but also consolidates the different communication channels in a simple, yet effective medium. Cheaper than traditional means for both the consumer and the marketer and easy enough for almost any age group to understand and engage with Mobile Marketing really is a streamlined version of traditional eMarketing. Strategic Framework for IMC in Rural Markets in India A strategic framework for implementing Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) in the rural markets in India has been proposed. The following are the elements of the framework: Objectives: The firms need to set and review their objectives for the rural markets. The desired effects and output needed from an integrated communications programme need to be decided and this becomes the base for the next steps in the implementation framework. 3As of the Adoption Process: Awareness Creation: Firstly, awareness needs to be created about the brand and the product in the rural market. An urban product might have low or almost nil awareness level in the rural market. The various tools that should be used at this stage are Public Relations, Direct Marketing, Advertising and Events. Adopt the Brand: Once awareness has been created about the brand, steps need to be taken so that the rural markets adopt the brand. The various tools that should be used at this stage are Personal Selling, Sales Promotions and Road shows. Brand Purchase: Once people have adopted the brand, steps must be taken to ensure that people purchase the brand and become repeat buyers. The tools which must be used at this stage are Sales Promotion and Personal Selling. IMC Tools: As mentioned before, different tools serve different purposes in the rural markets. For awareness creation, Public Relations, Direct Marketing, Advertising and Events are useful. Rural advertising will be different from the urban advertising keeping in mind the different profiles of the rural customers. Events also are very effective tools as they engage prospective consumers. The tools useful for adopting the brand are Personal Selling, Sales Promotions and Road shows. The markets accept and adopt the brands once salience has been achieved in the previous stage. Road shows are newer IMC tools which are proving to be very effective. They should be leveraged in the rural markets. In the brand purchase stage, tools like Personal Selling and Sales Promotions must be used as they have a direct impact on the brand purchase by providing incentives and more direct information about the brand. Select Right Mix of IMC: All these above mentioned tools need to be used judiciously and in the right proportion to achieve the desired marketing objectives. There needs to be a strategic fit between the chosen tools and the IMC objectives. Depending on the stages of the adoption process, the corresponding tools should be given importance over others and also overall media budget must be considered. Adds Incremental Value to the Firm: The implementation of an Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) model in the rural markets in the above mentioned manner will add incremental value to the firm. Since most of the corporate are looking in a big manner to exploit the rural markets in India, the above strategic framework might be useful for them to devise an IMC strategy. And it goes without saying that an urban IMC will be different from a rural IMC. Conclusions Customers in villages have their own set of aspirations and are willing to pay for the right services. Companies are understanding that to play the game in rural markets is to understand and innovate products exclusively for the rural consumers and after tasting success can also be replicated in the urban markets. The rural environment is different from the urban and therefore communication to potential customers in a proper and effective manner is a major challenge for corporate marketers. An urban communications approach might not hold well in these rural markets and thus there is a need to have a different Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) approach for the rural markets in India. The strategic framework for Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) developed in this paper may be used by companies as a part of their rural strategy. Thus the companies can add incremental value to themselves.

Managing Workforce Diversity Essay example -- Workplace Diversity

Introduction Without a doubt, the greatest asset an organization can have is its human resource. Therefore, issues affecting the staff have increasingly become popular among business managers, scholars, policy makers and other stake holders. One of the issues that have particularly generated sufficient interest is managing workforce diversity. O’leary & Weathington (2006) defines diversity simply as way of differentiating one person from another. Diversity is about recognizing and appreciating the uniqueness of each person. People can be different in terms of race, sexual orientation, age, gender and physical abilities just to mention a few (Burke 2007). As a result, workforce diversity has become a major business concern. Managing it should not be merely motivated by the potential of increasing the profit margin, but also should be to ensure the working environment is conducive, safe and nurturing (O’leary & Weathington 2006). Any business that manages its workforce effectively is bound to enjoy a number of benefits. Advantages of Workforce diversity It would be hypocritical not to acknowledge the fact that most business primarily exist with an intention of profit maximization. As result most of the organization activities will be geared towards achieving this goal. Efficient management of the workforce diversity can accelerate the process by increasing the company’s competitive edge (Ongori & Agolla 2007). O’leary & Weathington (2006) pointed out that are diversified staff is likely to be more creative, innovative and generally possess a relatively high ability of coming up with quality work. As oppose to a homogeneous group, when a diverse group get acquainted to each other, their job performance becomes superior due to an ... ...orkforce, they have been reaping the sumptuous benefits. Works Cited BMO Financial Group c 2010, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion [Online] available from [17th Dec 2010]. Browder, LM & Miller 2009, Workforce Diversity: The Big Blue Case, McGraw-Hill, New Delhi. Burke, LM 2007, Managing the Diverse Workforce Effectively, Rutledge, London. IBM c 2007, Global workforce diversity [online] available from [17th Dec 2010] O’Leary, BJ & Weathington, BL 2006, ‘Beyond the Business Case for Diversity in Organisations’, Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, Dec, vol 18, issue 4, pp1-10. Ongori, H & Agolla, JE 2007, ‘Critical Review of Literature on Workforce Diversity’, Africa Journal of Business Management, pp 72-76.

Viral Infections :: essays research papers

VIRAL INFECTIONS: THE TRUE WHYS AND WHAT NOWS It all started with a little tickling in my throat. I forged ahead, knowing all too well what that feeling meant, I was getting sick. I convinced myself to just not think about it and it would just go away. This whole time there was an army of alien species amassing in my bloodstream and older cells. They are horrifyingly ugly, like something straight out of H. R. Geiger’s imagination. They writhe and twitch while they are on the hunt for one of your precious body cells. One can almost imagine them squealing to one another "That’s the one fellas, that is the cell we turn into Fort Viri!!". Then they attack, attaching their bodies to the cell’s only defense, it’s outer wall. The cunning viri know this dance all too well, the cell has no chance. All too quickly the viri convince the cell, via complex chemical codes to admit the viri into its life blood, the cytoplasm. Soon they would turn this doomed c ell into a virus nursery, churning out countless clones of the virus that converted the original cell. I now must resign myself to the fact that I have somehow come into contact with a virus and it has started to multiply in my body. By now the symptoms are undeniable and all encompassing. I have the flu. Viral infections are caused by a host organism taking in and precipitating the reproduction of viruses. These infections bring with them a miriad of symtoms including, but not restricted to fever, general achiness, increased mucous production, and general sluggishness. This entire chain of events starts when a person comes into contact with a virus. This can happen a number of ways: contact with infected body fluids, contact with the mucous membranes of an infected person, and even inhalation of airborne viri. When one comes into contact with a virus, it wastes no time in making your body it’s new home. It quickly finds a body cell to reproduce in, usually in the body system in which it found access to the body. For example a virus that is inhaled will usually take up residence in the lungs or throat of the host animal. Since the virus has no internal reproductive system, it finds a cell to invade and latches on to it’s cellular membrane. It does this using specialized protein chains, these act as tiny fishing hooks permanently attaching the virus to the host cell. Viral Infections :: essays research papers VIRAL INFECTIONS: THE TRUE WHYS AND WHAT NOWS It all started with a little tickling in my throat. I forged ahead, knowing all too well what that feeling meant, I was getting sick. I convinced myself to just not think about it and it would just go away. This whole time there was an army of alien species amassing in my bloodstream and older cells. They are horrifyingly ugly, like something straight out of H. R. Geiger’s imagination. They writhe and twitch while they are on the hunt for one of your precious body cells. One can almost imagine them squealing to one another "That’s the one fellas, that is the cell we turn into Fort Viri!!". Then they attack, attaching their bodies to the cell’s only defense, it’s outer wall. The cunning viri know this dance all too well, the cell has no chance. All too quickly the viri convince the cell, via complex chemical codes to admit the viri into its life blood, the cytoplasm. Soon they would turn this doomed c ell into a virus nursery, churning out countless clones of the virus that converted the original cell. I now must resign myself to the fact that I have somehow come into contact with a virus and it has started to multiply in my body. By now the symptoms are undeniable and all encompassing. I have the flu. Viral infections are caused by a host organism taking in and precipitating the reproduction of viruses. These infections bring with them a miriad of symtoms including, but not restricted to fever, general achiness, increased mucous production, and general sluggishness. This entire chain of events starts when a person comes into contact with a virus. This can happen a number of ways: contact with infected body fluids, contact with the mucous membranes of an infected person, and even inhalation of airborne viri. When one comes into contact with a virus, it wastes no time in making your body it’s new home. It quickly finds a body cell to reproduce in, usually in the body system in which it found access to the body. For example a virus that is inhaled will usually take up residence in the lungs or throat of the host animal. Since the virus has no internal reproductive system, it finds a cell to invade and latches on to it’s cellular membrane. It does this using specialized protein chains, these act as tiny fishing hooks permanently attaching the virus to the host cell.

The Painted Veil – Presentation Note

Lift Not The Painted Veil Which Those Who Live Lift not the painted veil which those who live Call Life: though unreal shapes be pictured there, And it but mimic all we would believe With colours idly spread,–behind, lurk Fear And Hope, twin Destinies; who ever weave Their shadows, o'er the chasm, sightless and drear. I knew one who had lifted it–he sought, For his lost heart was tender, things to love, But found them not, alas! nor was there aught The world contains, the which he could approve. Through the unheeding many he did move, A splendour among shadows, a bright blot Upon this gloomy scene, a Spirit that stroveFor truth, and like the Preacher found it not. Percy Bysshe Shelley Charlie Townsend Post: married British vice consul = smart, sensible and he knows very well of what’s going on evidence – after walter walked away when he first found them in Kitty’s room, kitty was so panic but townsend knows that Dr. Fane will do nth. To cause any sc andal – when he’s discussing about the dealing with strikes(walkouts)/ boycotts in Shanghai with businessmen in the Colony Club, he banned the suggestion of seeking help from Chiang Kai-Shek as he knew that he’s a nationalist that must stand on the side of Chinese, he will not help them suppressing the strike. mature and experienced woman-hunter , very dissolute person and he’s unfaithful to his wife Evidence –flirted kitty from the very first moment they’ve met when they’re watching the Chinese opera ?Telling kitty what happened to the actor in the opera which he thinks that it may be similar to Kitty (she weeps for the lively, vivacious girl she once was? the lonely woman she has become; she weeps for the love she’ll never feel, for the love she’ll never give) to flirt Kitty ? made Kitty believes that he understands her, admire her ? Charlie Townsend found it so easy to get hold of her As described by Waddington: he ha d his little flirtations +As described by Dorothy: the women who fell for her husband were so consistently second-rate ? even his wife knows that her husband is a gallant/licentious/dissolute person that flirts many women +having an affair with Kitty? adultery, he only sees Kitty as his mistress to satisfy his physical needs (attachment: lever) Dorothy is more important to him because â€Å"whatever happens, we must try to keep Dorothy out of it† ? did not want to hurt Dorothy and nth in the world could induce him to divorce herWomen are always under the impression that men love them more that they really do. Film language – = selfish, vain and incapable of caring for anyone but himself Care for his reputation/ job/ post: â€Å"do you have any idea of the importance of my station here? † – at that time, there’ll be many rumors that ruin the reputation of a man if anyone divorce his wife and marry another woman. Therefore he cares more about his rep utation, his position than what will happen on Kitty if he does not marry her, as Kitty is just someone means very little to him.Film language – =a person who made false promise Evidence – sent kitty a ring as a gift – RING: symbolize love, faith and commitment. He proclaimed that he loves Kitty when he was having sex with Kitty, actually he does not love her, it’s just a way to flirt Kitty and make Kitty willing to continue the affair with him. – promised that he would help solve the problem when Kitty was forced to be divorced. After 5 years, at last, he still did nth, not even a letter to show his concern. â€Å"I should have written†Film language – Why Townsend treat Kitty as close as 5 years ago when he later met her in London? =the only one that failed to change in the film He never learn from any experience or errors that he has made; Besides, he does not think that he had done sth wrong? does not feel sorry /guilty for breakin g Kitty’s marriage He tried to date Kitty again in his later few weeks in London (to see if there’re any more chances for him to flirt kitty again, like 5 years ago) – described by Kitty – â€Å"no one important† 0th century that artists began to use it fully; a pipe would stand for thoughtfulness and calm; the cigarette symbolized modernity, strength and youth, but also nervous anxiety; the cigar was a sign of authority, wealth and power. The decades following World War II, during the apex of smoking when the practice had still not come under fire by the growing anti-smoking movement, a cigarette casually tucked between the lips represented the young rebel, epitomized in actors like Marlon Brando and James Dean or mainstays of advertising like the Marlboro Man.It was not until the 1970s when the negative aspects of smoking began to appear; the unhealthy lower-class loser, reeking of cigarette smoke and lack of motivation and drive, especially in a rt inspired or commissioned by anti-smoking campaigns. [ Literature Just as in other types of fiction, smoking has had an important place in literature and smokers are often portrayed as characters with great individuality, or outright eccentrics, something typically personified in one of the most iconic smoking literary figures of all, Sherlock Holmes.Other than being a frequent part of short stories and novels, smoking has spawned endless eulogies, praising its qualities and affirming the author's identity as a devoted smoker. Especially during the late 19th century and early 20th century, a panoply of books with titles like Tobacco: Its History and associations (1876), Cigarettes in Fact and Fancy (1906) and Pipe and Pouch: The Smokers Own Book of Poetry (1905) were written in the UK and the US.The titles were written by men for other men and contained general tidbits and poetic musings about the love for tobacco and all things related to it, and frequently praised the refined ba chelor's life. The Fragrant Weed: Some of the Good Things Which Have been Said or Sung about Tobacco, published in 1907, contained, among many others, the following lines from the poem A Bachelor's Views by Tom Hall that were typical of the attitude in many of the books: The cover of My Lady Nicotine: A Study in Smoke (1896) by J. M. Barrie, otherwise best known for his play Peter Pan. â€Å"So let us drinkTo her, – but think Of him who has to keep her; And sans a wife Let's spend our life In bachelordom, – it's cheaper. † —Eugene Umberger[68] These works were all published in an era before the cigarette had become the dominant form of tobacco consumption and pipes, cigars and chewing tobacco were still commonplace. Many of the books were published in novel packaging that would attract the learned smoking gentleman. Pipe and Pouch came in a leather bag resembling a tobacco pouch and Cigarettes in Fact and Fancy (1901) came bound in leather, packaged in an imitation cardboard cigar box.By the late 1920s, the publication of this type of literature largely abated and was only sporadically revived in the later 20th century. [69] Cigarettes in old films were early forms of ‘product placement' 5. Cigarettes as Phallic Symbols Back during the Hays Code days, cigarettes were clever devices used as metaphoric hints at sexual activity. When characters shared cigarettes, such as in Now, Voyager, To Have and Have Not and Rope, it implied a sex act. When Marlene Dietrich held a cigarette in any of her films, the prop was a phallic symbol implicit in projecting an image of bisexuality.And ironically, in a film as explicit as 9 ? Weeks, a cigarette may have been a required stand-in for Mickey Rourke’s penis during a strip-tease scene, because male nudity continues to be a taboo while the naked female body is common on the big screen. However, not all cigarettes in films represent sex and/or phallus, but due to the heavy employment of the prop in such a way for so many years, it’s hard for moviegoers (particularly those of us with film studies degrees) to think of them as anything but sex symbols.Fortunately, Hollywood is being forced to censor out cigarettes from their movies (for even featuring a pack of cigarettes), and meanwhile they continue to break sexual taboos at the same time. So this cliche is likely to go way very soon. Friendship Since friendship is not a very important issue in the Painted Veil, Compared to love and death, I’ll just talk about the more significant one. = kitty and Waddington At the very first beginning: Then: At the end: = Dr Fane and Colonel Yu When Colonel Yu met Walter, Then, after At the end: =Kitty and sung chingAt first, Sung Ching was appointed by Colonel Yu to protect Kitty due to the anti-foreigner atmosphere in china, kitty felt like she was guard as a prisoner Then, she started to reject Sun Ching’s protection and treat him badly when she was finding Mr. Waddington for mailing the letter, tell him to go away and she does not need him At the climax of the anti-foreigner movement, Sun Ching saved Kitty and Walter from the crowd, on the next day, kitty then ask Sun Ching to come with her friendly. Mei-tan-fu Background info = a village mad up by the author, not a real village (at first ? lanned to build a new village of Mei-tan-fu in Guangxi, however, the cost is too huge and overwhelming ? sent a scout to find a village for the film ? found a completely untouched village = Huang Yao – 800 years history; untouched because there’s no telegraph poles or anything else to contact people in other places? perfect for shooting The rivers and mountains shoots are taken from Huang Yao, it’s from Guangxi ~> on-location (means the film is shot at the actual place where the action occurs) Mei-tan fu is a place with many significance in the film, please pick one to and explain why.Significances: = new home of the Fanes = the place where death rest – Chinese villagers/ walter/ kitty seeing two corpses + colour of lights 1st: the corpse of a villager pass along the same road of Kitty and Walter’s sadden chairs 2nd: the hut where kitty and walter stays – the doll on the bed of kitty’s room Walter: â€Å"I won’t touch that if I were you, they may have died in that bed† 3rd: the corpse of a villager on the side of the road when Kitty walked out from Mr, Waddington’s house 4th: the bodies are buried too close to the river th: the death of Sister Maryse 6th: the soldiers removing corpses from the villagers’ house 7th:the death of walter =a place for reunion -kitty and walter=a place where they fall in love again Before the union, Walter and Kitty were separated spiritually due to the affair . /. kitty and charlie How – after kitty had heard from the nuns about Walter helping the orphans? stating to know that he is a good man and wants to impro ve their relationship.After Walter had seen Kitty playing with the orphans, he started to have better feelings for Kitty After the union, their relationship has been recovered, they even have sex after drinking with Mr. Waddington and XX. Then they travel on the boat to let Kitty visit the water XX. =changes brought by cholera(+ve and -ve) – kitty(+ve)/ walter(+ve &-ve)/ colonel yu(+ve) Described by Kitty- no place for a woman; madness for me to go Described by Dr. Fane – small town on a tributary of Yangtze River, in the interior Film language: colour of light, long shot,