Collusion

Collusion is an agreement between two or more parties, sometimes illegal and therefore secretive, to limit open competition by deceiving, misleading, or defrauding others of their legal rights, or to obtain an objective forbidden by law typically by defrauding or gaining an unfair advantage. [citation needed] It is an agreement among firms or individuals to divide a market, set prices, limit production or limit opportunities. [1] It can involve â€Å"wage fixing, kickbacks, or misrepresenting the independence of the relationship between the colluding parties†. 2] In legal terms, all acts affected by collusion are considered void. [3] | In the study of economics and market competition, collusion takes place within an industry when rival companies cooperate for their mutual benefit. Collusion most often takes place within the market structure of oligopoly, where the decision of a few firms to collude can significantly impact the market as a whole. Cartels are a special case of e xplicit collusion. Collusion which is not overt, on the other hand, is known as tacit collusion. How is OPEC a collusive oligopoly? Answer:OPEC is a collection of oil exporting countries. Oligopoly – Industry that is controlled by a few major players (firms or countries) Collusion – When industry leaders secretly agree to limit quantities of production. This will guarantee the colluders a higher price for their product OPEC meet to discuss the quantity of oil they will allow onto the world market. This is collusion. Because the OPEC members are the main suppliers of oil they are said to be an Collusion and Cartels by David A. Mayer One of the blessings of competition is that it leads to lower prices for consumers.For the producer, however, this blessing is a curse. Low prices often mean low profits. Given a choice between competition and cooperation, profit-maximizing firms would more often than not prefer cooperation. Regardless of what you learned in kindergarten, yo u do not want the businesses you buy from to cooperate. You want them to compete. Adam Smith, the father of modern capitalism, warned that nothing beneficial comes from the heads of business getting together. In the United States, firms are forbidden from cooperating to set prices or production.The abuses of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century trusts were the impetus for the â€Å"trust-busting† of President Theodore Roosevelt. With the Sherman Antitrust Act and later the Clayton Antitrust Act, the government prohibited outright collusion and other business practices that reduced competition. Prior to OPEC, world oil prices were mainly under the control of the Texas Railroad Commission. With the rise of OPEC came a shift in power from U. S. producers to the oil states of the Middle East. Even though it violates the law, businesses from time to time will collude in order to set prices.Colluding firms can divide up the market in a way that is beneficial for them. Th e firms avoid competition, set higher prices, and reduce their operating costs. Because collusion is illegal and punishable by fine and prison, executives at firms are reluctant to engage in the practice. The meetings of business leaders are almost always in the presence of attorneys in order to avoid the accusation of collusion. Forming Cartels Businesses that collude may form cartels. A cartel is a group of businesses that effectively function as a single producer or monopoly able to charge whatever price the market will bear.Probably the best-known modern cartel is the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC. OPEC is made up of thirteen oil-exporting countries and is thus not subject to the antitrust laws of the United States. OPEC seeks to maintain high oil prices and profits for their members by restricting output. Each member of the cartel agrees to a production quota that will eventually reduce overall output and increase prices. OPEC is bad news for anyone that enjoys cheap gasoline. Fortunately for consumers, cartels have an Achilles heel.The individual members of a cartel have an incentive to cheat on their agreement. Cartels go through periods of cooperation and competition. When prices and profits are low, the members of the cartel have an incentive to cooperate and limit production. It is the cartel's success that brings the incentive to cheat. If the cartel is successful, the market price of the commodity will rise. Individual members driven by their own self-interest will have an incentive, the law of supply, to ever-so-slightly exceed their production quota and sell the excess at the now higher price.The problem is that all members have this incentive and the result is that eventually prices will fall as they collectively cheat on the production quota. Cartels must find ways to discourage cheating. Drug cartels use assassination and kidnapping, but OPEC uses something a little more civilized. The single largest producer in th e cartel is Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia also has the lowest cost of production. If a member or members cheat on the cartel, then Saudi Arabia can discipline the group by unleashing its vast oil reserves, undercutting other countries' prices, and still remain profitable.After a few months or even years of losses, the other countries would then have an incentive to cooperate and limit production once again. * Definition: OPEC stands for The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. It is an organization of 12 oil-producing countries that effectively control the world's oil. OPEC members pump out 42% of the world's annual supply, controlling 61% of exports. This situation isn't likely to change, since these 12 countries hold 80% of the world's proven oil reserves. For these reasons, OPEC's decisions are critical to countries that depend on oil imports.What Does OPEC Do? OPEC states quite plainly that its goal is to manage the world's supply of oil. It does this to make sure its mem bers get what they consider a good price for their oil. Since oil is a fairly uniform commodity, most of its consumers base their buying decisions on nothing other than price. What's a good price? In the past, OPEC said it was around $70-$80 per barrel. If prices drop below that target, OPEC members agree to restrict supply to send prices higher. Otherwise, they would wind up increasing the supply to make more national revenue.By competing with each other, they would drive prices even lower. This would stimulate even more demand, and OPEC countries will run out of their most precious resource that much faster. When prices are higher than $80 a barrel, oil-producing countries would naturally want to produce more to bring in extra national revenue. However, if they did that, they increase supply, lowering the price. Instead, OPEC members agree to produce only enough to keep the price high for all members. Furthermore, if prices are too much higher than $80 a barrel, then other countri es have the incentive to drill more expensive oil fields.Sure enough, now that oil prices are closer to $100 a barrel, it's become cost effective for Canada to explore its shale oil fields, and for the U. S. to use fracking. As a result, non-OPEC supply has increased. OPEC's second goal is to reduce oil price volatility. That's because, at current prices and rates of production, OPEC countries have enough oil to last for 113 years. In addition, oil is expensive to produce. For maximum efficiency, oil extraction must run 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In addition, closing facilities could physically damage oil installations and even the fields themselves.Ocean drilling is especially difficult and expensive to shut down. Therefore, it's in OPEC's best interests to keep world prices stable. For example, in June 2008, prices spiked to $143/barrel. OPEC responded by agreeing to produce a little more oil, which brought prices down. However, the global financial crisis brought oil pric es down to $33. 73/barrel in December. OPEC responded by reducing the supply, helping prices to again stabilize. A slight modification is usually enough to restore price stability. OPEC also adjusts the world's oil supply in response to crises and shortages.For example, it replaced the oil lost during the Gulf Crisis in 1990. Several million barrels of oil per day were cut off when Saddam Hussein armies destroyed refineries in Kuwait. OPEC alos increased production in 2011 during the crisis in Libya. The Oil and Energy Ministers from the OPEC members meet twice a year, or more if needed, to coordinate their oil production policies. Each member country abides by an honor system, agreeing to only produce a certain amount. However, if a country winds up producing more, there really is no sanction or penalty.Furthermore, each country is responsible for reporting its own production. Therefore, there is room for â€Å"cheating. † On the other hand, a country won't go too far over i ts quota, since it doesn't want to risk being kicked out of OPEC. Despite its power, OPEC cannot completely control the price of oil. In some countries, additional taxes are imposed on gasoline and other oil-based end products to promote conservation. More importantly, oil prices are actually set by the oil futures market. Much of the oil price is determined by these commodities traders. For more on this, see Why Are Oil Prices So High?OPEC Members OPEC members are Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Venezuela. Saudi Arabia alone produces enough oil to materially impact the world's supply. For this reason, it really has more authority and influence than the other countries. Here's a ranking of production by member: 1. Saudi Arabia – 9. 311 million barrels/day. 2. Iran – 3. 576 mb/d. 3. Venezuela – 2. 881 mb/d. 4. Kuwait – 2. 659 mb/d. 5. Iraq – 2. 653 mb/d. 6. UAE – 2. 565 mb/d. 7. Niger ia – 1. 975 mb/d. 8. Angola – 1. 618 mb/d. 9. Algeria – 1. 162 mb/d. 10. Qatar – . 734 mb/d. 11.Ecuador – . 5 mb/d. 12. Libya – . 489 mb/d. (Source: OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin 2012) Many non-OPEC members also voluntarily adjust their oil production in response to OPEC's decisions. In the 1990s, they learned that increasing their own production to take advantage of OPEC's restraints meant oil prices stayed low, restricting profits for everyone. These cooperating non-OPEC members include Mexico, Norway, Oman and Russia. OPEC History In 1960, five OPEC countries formed an alliance to regulate the supply, and to some extent, the price of oil. These countries realized they had a non-renewable resource.If they competed with each other, the price of oil would be so low that they would run out sooner than if oil prices were higher. This first meeting was held September 10-14 1960 in Baghdad, Iraq. The five founding members were Iran, Iraq, Kuw ait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. OPEC was registered with the UN on November 6, 1962. (Source: OPEC Frequently Asked Questions) Article updated March 13, 2013 The acronym OPEC is short for the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Through its 12 member countries, the group controls nearly 80% of the world’s crude oil reserves and about 45% of its worldwide production.This makes it extremely influential in the market for crude oil and its derivatives, like gasoline and diesel fuels. OPEC member countries include: Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Venezuela. Most of these countries rely on oil prices to sustain their 408 million combined inhabitants. Consequently, OPEC was designed to unify petroleum policies, ensure price stability and facilitate market efficiency. The Origins of OPEC OPEC was originally started by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela in the 1960s.While their initial o bjectives were reasonable, OPEC was soon labeled a cartel by many Western countries, given its practice of adopting output rationing in order to maintain certain price levels. Similarly, its political motivations have also contributed to its image. In 1973, OPEC became infamous for its oil embargo that punished the United States and Western Europe for its support of Israel against Arab nations in the Yom Kippur War. The resulting shortage led to limits on gas available at gas stations and eventually a worldwide economic recession that saw high unemployment and inflation.OPEC’s Declining Influence In the 1980s, OPEC suffered from a six-year decline in oil prices due to reduced demand and over-supply that led to a glut in the world market. While OPEC lost its unity during the 1980s and early 1990s during the Gulf War, oil prices recovered after the September 11th attacks against the United States and the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan. As of 2011, OPEC continues to publish recommended production quotas designed to increase the price of oil, but member countries aren’t as keen as they used to be on compliance.For instance, one Saudi Arabian official told the New York Times that the country would meet the market’s demand, presumably despite any quotas from OPEC. OPEC Finally Reaches an Agreement In December of 2011, OPEC reached a new agreement on production quotas for the first time in three years. Output from the 12 member states was set at 30 million barrels per day, which was roughly in-line with the supply at the time. The result in the financial markets after the announcement was a muted 1. 8% decline in crude oil futures.OPEC leaders also discussed how to handle the decreased production from Libya after the fall of Moammar Qaddhafi. Shortly after the supply cut, Saudi Arabia stepped in and increased production, which was met with distaste from Iran and Venezuela. The matter was resolved by temporarily eliminating country-specific qu otas until a June 2012 meeting. OPEC’s Influence on Investors While OPEC hadn’t agreed on production targets for some time, primarily due to Saudi Arabia’s opposition, the organization did manage to set a new production target in late-2011 of 30 million barrels per day, which was largely in-line with current production.The agreement could mean more cohesion among its membership and additional quotas imposed down the line. Those trading in the crude oil or derivative markets since the 1970s are very familiar with OPEC’s influence on pricing. If the organization can agree on set prices, their control over a large portion of the market enables them to significantly influence prices. Until 2011, this was largely a non-issue given Saudi Arabia’s opposition to any limits. Key Takeaway Points * OPEC began in the 1960s as a way to control oil prices in countries where oil was a primary source of livelihood for citizens. OPEC turned political in the 1970s a fter the oil embargo and member disagreements hurt its power throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. * While OPEC has struggled with member cohesion, the organization has managed to strike an agreement in late-2011 and will meet again in June of 2012. Definition Collusion occurs when firms in a market chose an optimal level of output for that market in order to maximize total industry profits (Baye, 2006). Collusion typically occurs in the oligopoly market model when the number of firms are few as opposed to many.This can simply be explained by the fact that when firms are working together, the more firms that have to work together the harder it is to make everyone happy. See Wiki page about oligopoly for further information: http://mbaecon. wikispaces. com/oligopoly%26nbsp%3B. See Wiki page about monopolistic competition to see why collusion is more difficult with many firms: http://mbaecon. wikispaces. com/monopolistic+competition. Monitoring the agreement This can be seen in that f irms must monitor one another such that their collusion agreement is kept.This can be accomplished by monitoring the other firms in the collusion agreement. There comes a point at which because there are so many firms in the agreement that the costs of monitoring the other firms outweighs the benefits from the collusion agreement. This monitoring can be seen by the formula n*(n-1) where n is the number of firms in the agreement. If there are six firms in agreement there must be 30 (6*(6-1)=30) monitors to keep everyone aware that all the firms in the agreement are holding to the terms. As the number of firms increase in the market the number of monitors increases dramatically.How collusion occurs The first way collusion occurs is that firms will meet and agree not to steal each others customers, and if one firm tries to steal anothers customers there will be retaliation. This form of collusion is called explicit collusion. Another way firms collude may not involve physically meeting or talking at all. Overtime firms may reach a nonverbal understanding that they will leave each other alone, but if one firms tries to steal customers there are consequences. The second form of collusion just discussed is called tacit collusion.Tacit collusion occurs when the behaviors of the players in the market are learned. If you try to steal customers and get attacked back, eventually your firm will probably stop trying to steal customers. On the other hand if you lower prices in order to steal customers and there is no retaliation, or the retaliation is not effective, tacit collusion will not occur. Legality Collusion is considered illegal within the United States, European Union, and Canada. Collusion falls within the category of antitrust laws/competition laws. These are laws that prohibit anti-competitive behavior and unfair business practices.These laws make certain practices illegal because they hurt the businesses, consumers, or both, typically violating standards of et hical behavior (wikipedia-antitrust, 2006). Tacit collusion because of the fact that it is the learned behaviors of the players in the market is much more difficult to enforce, because specifically there has been no formal agreement, because of this tacit collusion can and does occur today. Questions: Which is not a form of collusion? A. ) The behaviors of a competing firm in the same market of a second firm are learned. B. Two firms meet and agree not to steal one another's customers. C. ) If an agreement has been reached to not steal one another's customer has been breached, retaliation will occur. D. ) One firm lowers prices to compete against another when there was no agreement against it. Answer: D. ) This is just the normal game of business that occurs every day. There is no collusion because one firm is lowering a price without specific knowledge or an understanding that there will be repercussions or action taken or not taken because of this action. In a finite number of gam es collusion will be more likely to occur: A. On the second to last turn. B. ) From the beginning. C. ) Once a tacit understanding of business practices has been reached. D. ) Will not occur because there is no effective punishment method that can be used. Answer: D. ) Will not occur because there is no effective punishment method that can be used. This is because of the ending nature of the finite number of games to be played. Each period the players in the game know what the last period will hold, and because they know the last periods outcome, the second to last game is the last game.It is because the second to last game is now the last game that once again the players know how each member of the collusion will act because there is no punishment that can be effective. This continues on until the first game being played, and each member of the collusion knows that each member will cheat, so collusion will not occur. Sustained collusion is more likely to occur when firms know: A. ) their rivals. B. ) who their rivals customers are. C. ) when their rivals deviate from the agreement. D. ) All the above. Answer: D. ) All the above.This are all reasons why a sustained collusion is more likely to occur. The last reason not listed is that firms must be able to successfully punish rivals for deviating from the agreement. A small firm with 1 outlet and a large firm with 10 outlets decide to collude, the small firm: A. ) is at an advantage because they only have to focus on the big competitor. B. ) is at an advantage because they are now â€Å"safe† from the big competitor. C. ) is at a disadvantage because they have to monitor more locations then the larger firm does. D. is at a disadvantage because they have less bargaining power when the â€Å"contract† needs to be renegotiated. Answer: C. ) is at a disadvantage because they have to monitor more locations then the larger firm does. This is because economies of scale exist within the monitoring act. Th e larger firm only has to monitor the one outlet of its collusive partner. The smaller firm has to monitor the larger firms 10 outlets, which most likely will cost more and be a larger percentage of the â€Å"savings† associated with the collusive agreement.

Engine Management Essay

Engine Management System ensure that engines run cleanly and efficiently in a wide variety of conditions, they are for the most part reliable and require little or no maintenance. Two basic functions performed by an EMS: (1) to meter fuel to the engine in the right quantity and (2) to provide a spark at the right time. An EMS is a self contained custom built computer which controls the running of an engine by monitoring the engine speed, load and temperature and providing the ignition spark at the right time for the prevailing conditions and metering the fuel to the engine in the exact quantity required. There are two discrete subsystems in operation within the EMS The fuel or injection system and The ignition system. When the engine is running its requirements for fuel and ignition timing will vary according to certain engine conditions, the main two being engine speed and engine load. This Map injection gives the appropriate fuel or timing setting for each possible speed and load condition. There will normally be a map for the injector timings (fuel map) and a separate map for the ignition timing settings (ignition map) within the EMS. Each map has entries for a pre-determined range of engine speeds (called speed sites) and a predetermined range of engine load conditions (called load sites), which generally indicate how far open the throttle is. The EMS knows the engine speed (derived from the crank sensor or distributor pickup) and the engine load (from the Throttle Position Sensor or airflow meter) and will use these two values to ‘look-up’ the appropriate fuel and timing settings in each map. If the current engine telemetry falls between the sites in the map then the value is interpolated between the nearest two sites. Normally there will be speed sites every 500 or so RPM and 8 to 16 load sites between closed and open throttle. In the example below speed sites are spaced every 1000-RPM and the eight load sites are numbered 0 to 7. An all-new line of V6 engines, with more horsepower, powers the 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class and more advanced technology than before. The luxury models feature a high-tech seven-speed automatic transmission, and the C350 Luxury sedan has the classic Mercedes balance of ride quality and handling. The line also includes sport models for those who want a sportier driving experience. Inside, the C-Class cars look and feel like a Mercedes-Benz, with firm, supportive seats and mostly high-quality materials. The C-Class delivers Mercedes engineering and safety technology, with optional all-wheel-drive that will improve traction in wet or wintry conditions. New engines for 2006 complement the substantial C-Class updates made just a year ago.   Mercedes redesigned the C-Class interior for 2005, freshened the exterior styling and further distinguished the sport models from the standard luxury sedans. A new six-speed manual transmission greatly improved shift action. New paint technology imbeds microscopic ceramic flakes in the clear coat finish, increasing its resistance to chipping and degradation over time. Aerodynamically, the C-Class cars are among the most efficient in the Mercedes-Benz family. The C-Class boasts a drag coefficient of 0.27, which helps minimize wind noise and improves fuel efficiency.   Interior Features The C-Class interior looks like the inside of a Mercedes-Benz should, and for the most part, it feels that way, too. A model re-alignment for 2006 has increased the level of luxury in the least expensive models. Fabric upholstery and manually operated seats can no longer be found in the C-Class line. The C-Class got a thorough interior re-do for the 2005 model year so the 2006 models benefit from that. The dashboard, instruments and seats were redesigned, and materials were revised throughout. The instrument cluster now features four gauges, with a chromed-ringed tachometer and speedometer of identical size sitting front and center. To the left and right of these are smaller fuel and temperature gauges. In the middle sits an LCD display with various system and trip functions. Fashioned in the mold of the larger Mercedes E-Class, the instrument cluster is deeply hooded and virtually eliminates glare on the dials. The backlit script is clear and easy to read. Audio controls are now located in what we consider the optimal spot: above the climate control switches, which sit at the bottom of the stack. Both audio and climate knobs are large and easy to locate. The switchgear is, for the most part, easy to use and understand. The stalk controls have a beefy feel with positive detents. Redundant buttons on the steering wheel let the driver operate the audio and telephone functions without removing a hand from the wheel. Lighting inside is effective, with good illumination for entry in the dark and excellent map lights for reading. The C-Class glove box is a good size, unless you order the CD changer, in which case you lose most of its storage space. In general, the C-Class sedans are trimmed with good-quality interior materials. Driving Impressions The 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedans have been improved across the board, thanks to a new family of V6 engines. The least powerful of the new C-Class engines, the 2.5-liter V6 in the C230 Sport sedan, rated at 201 horsepower, offers more power than the supercharged four-cylinder engine it replaces. As important, it is far smoother at all speeds and generally, fewer courses in feel, sound or the amount of vibration it generates. The 228-hp 3.0-liter V6 in the C280 Luxury sedan is much more powerful and satisfying than the anemic 2.6-liter V6 in the 2005 C240 (previously the best selling C-Class). Even the biggest V6, which was our favorite engine on the 2005 models, is much better for 2006. The 3.5-liter V6 in the C350 generates 268 horsepower, 20 percent more than the 3.2 in the 2005 C320, which improves acceleration performance considerably. Matched with either the six-speed manual or the high-tech seven-speed automatic, the new engine makes the C350 more responsive than the 2005 C320. The 3.5-liter V6 has fully variable valve timing to deliver an impressive amount of torque from idle all the way to the red line. The C350 responds more immediately than the C320, no matter how fast it is already traveling when the driver presses the accelerator. The new engine is also noticeably smoother, particularly at high rpm. In addition, thanks the seven-speed automatic, the improved performance comes without a corresponding decrease in fuel mileage. All of the C-Class cars offer nice steering, effective brakes and a good balance between ride and handling. Before choosing between a Luxury or Sport model, C-Class buyers should carefully consider whether a smooth ride or sharper handling is preferred because the trade-off between comfort and response changes with the model. The Sport models are more firmly sprung than the standard Luxury models. All C-Class models are quiet inside, even when blasting along at 80 mph. These sedans are aerodynamically slippery cars, and very little wind noise penetrates the cabin. As mentioned, the C-Class offers a choice of transmissions. The seven-speed automatic that comes on the C280 and C350 Luxury sedans is superior to five-speed automatics that come on most cars (to say nothing of an old-fashioned four-speed automatic). With more gears, it offers better acceleration performance and responsiveness around town as well as enhanced fuel efficiency. Gear changes are barely noticeable in normal driving, especially in the higher gears. This transmission allows significantly quicker acceleration for highway passing situations, and it does not have to go through every gear. Step on the gas and the transmission will skip down to the appropriate gear, switching from seventh to fifth, for example, and from there directly to third, meaning two downshifts instead of four. As for the manual transmission, Mercedes has lowered the ratio for first gear for quicker acceleration off the line, but kept an overdrive sixth gear for quiet, low-rev highway cruising and better fuel economy. More important, the old cable-operated shift mechanism has been replaced by a solid, direct rod. The result is easier, quicker and more precise shifting, and the improved action contributes greatly to a more rewarding, engaging driving experience. Shift effort is low, and the gears are easier to hit. For manual fans, we can heartily recommend the C230 Sport sedan. If you prefer an automatic but want a Sport model, we encourage you to step up to the C350 Sport sedan with the optional automatic. The optional 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system delivers power to all four wheels. It is fully automatic and on all the time, so there are no buttons to push and no special knowledge is needed; just drive the car. The system uses electronic traction control to vary torque each of the four wheels, diverting power to the tires with the best grip. Even if three wheels lose traction, 4MATIC can direct power to the one remaining tire with grip. The result is better stability and improved handling in slippery conditions, with a greatly reduced chance of being stuck. 4MATIC does dampen engine response and slow acceleration slightly, and lowers fuel mileage a bit. However, for those who drive through harsh winters, all-wheel drive is worth it. All-wheel-drive sedans such as the C-Class are proof that you do not need an SUV to confidently handle rough weather. In fact, a car tends to handle better in icy conditions than a truck. We consider all-wheel drive a valuable asset in the rainy Northwest or for the harsh winters of the Midwest and Northeast, and 4MATIC is priced much lower on the C-Class models than it is on other Mercedes models. Braking is excellent. Every C-Class model has good-sized brake rotors, and the Sport sedans feature cross-drilled rotors in front for better resistance to fade. (Braking effectiveness fades away as brakes get hot from repeated hard use.) All C-Class cars come with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist. EBD can reduce stopping distances and improve stability when braking by distributing brake pressure between the front and rear wheels, giving more to the tires that are gripping best. Break Assist senses a panic-braking situation and helps ensure full braking force even if the driver makes the mistake of relaxing pressure on the brake pedal. The net effect is short, no-fuss stopping. In everyday use, the C-Class brakes are progressive in pedal feel. The C55 AMG might be the most impressive C-Class yet. It is a sports sedan in the extreme sense, capable of amazing acceleration, and handling and braking on par with exotic sports cars. It is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in an exotic-grade 4.9 seconds, according to Mercedes. The old C32 was super quick, too, but the C55 is less crude and more refined. Its big V8 engine is smoother, more tractable and less intrusive when a driver is cruising the freeway or just trundling along, and its deep, V8 exhaust note better suits the sportiest C-Class of all. How to maintain the engine of a car If we will take one look, why cars break down? We can see several things. Sometimes cars start having problems after accidents. Sometimes it may be a factory defect or design flaw. Heavy conditions like, for example, driving only short trips without letting the engine to warm up fully also make the engine life shorter. Corrosion is another factor – for example, park the car for a few months in place with high humidity and later it will probably have more problems than the vehicle driven all this time on daily basis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the most reasons for a car to break down is maintenance. There are important remainders to maintain the car in good shape. A regular oil change may keep engine running, avoid overheating the engine, changing spark plug, air filter, timing belt and other items from maintenance schedule may save from money. Fixing a small problem will avoid a serious damage in your car. Engine Oil Change Regular oil change is very important in maintaining a car. Engine oil has limited life – after a certain point, it starts losing lubricating qualities and carbonizes. Once it happens, the engine is contaminated with carbon deposits or sludge that significantly shorten engine’s life. When you change oil at or before manufacturer suggested interval, you change the oil before this â€Å"carbonizing† point, engine remains clean and once refilled with new oil ready to work hard again. If the engine oil has not been changed for long, carbon deposits start clogging the oil pick-up screen decreasing oil supply and increasing friction. Through the engine ventilation system the same carbon, deposits build up inside the throttle body and EGR system causing rough idle and possible check engine light. Compression decreases and engine start wearing much faster. If you do not remember when you changed the oil in your car last time – just check the oil on the dipstick. Moreover, every time you change the oil, the oil filter should be replaced as well. For correct oil type, engine oil capacity, maintenance schedule, etc. check your car owner’s manual or find car technical information. B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Checking the engine oil Check the engine oil at least once a month or even more if the car has a mileage. Driving with extremely low oil level (less than min.) or with low oil pressure warning lamp on may cause serious engine damage. Have your engine be inspected as soon as possible if the oil pressure gauge indicates extremely low oil pressure. Always use the appropriate engine oil type. Change the oil if you notice that the color is black. Check your parking space for leaks. If you find any, fix it before it results in more serious vehicle problem Concerning the type of oil that you will use there are a comparison with synthetic oil and conventional mineral oil. The advantage of synthetic oil is that it can withstand higher temperature and can work longer without losing its lubricating qualities. It does not get thicker at below-zero temperatures providing good engine lubrication at a cold start. However, since it is more â€Å"thinner† a high-mileage engine filled with synthetic oil will more likely to develop leaks and you will more likely to hear lifters tapping noise at a start. Therefore, If you have low mileage or turbo engine and driving under heavy conditions such as high temperature, excessive load, long intervals without an oil change, etc., or simply want to provide extra protection for your engine, synthetic oil may be a good solution. Nevertheless, I do not think it is worth to use synthetic oil in high-mileage engines – thicker mineral oil will provide better protection as long as you change it regularly. C.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Engine cooling system Engine overheating causes serious engine damage. In order to avoid the engine overheating: Check the coolant level periodically. It should be at least at the â€Å"min† mark in the coolant reservoir. If it is lower, add the coolant bringing the level to the â€Å"max† mark. Avoid coolant leak it may cause an engine overheating. The engine temperature start rising higher than the normal, have your engine inspected. Check the front of the radiator – sometimes it may be obstructed with leaves or dust. It is one of the possible reasons for the overheating. Never open the radiator or the coolant overflow reservoir when engine is hot! Tune –up, Timing Belt, Fuel Injector flush There are certain vehicle components that need periodical replacement such as: The fuel filter-dirty fuel filter may cause engine stalling and loss of engine power. Air filter –dirty air filter causes loss of engine power, increased fuel consumption, airflow sensor failure, etc. Engine coolant – old engine coolant loses its anti-corrosive and other characteristics and may cause water pump to fail. Spark plugs – simply spark plugs replacement can significantly improve the engine performance. Timing belt – timing belt failure may cause serious engine damage, especially if it’s diesel engine. Battery The battery filled with harmful acid solution and can produce explosive gases. Handling a battery be careful and always use protective glasses and gloves. Do not use open fire, smoke, or create a spark near battery. Most of batteries nowadays are maintenance free. All you check is battery terminals that should not be loose or corroded. Corroded battery terminals will cause all kind of problem: blinking instrument lights, low charge, no-start, dim headlights, check engine and ABS malfunction light etc. If you see any acid leaks, cracks or any other damage – replace the battery. Acid leaking from the battery destroys everything underneath. If there is any problems with your engine, such as irregular noise or smell, or performance problems, leaks or smoke, or â€Å"check engine† light is on, etc., have your car inspected with a mechanic. It is always better to fix any small problem right away before they can cause engine damage. Be aware, some mechanics will try to scare you because they always want to sell you more job than your car really needs, so always ask to explain everything, to show you what exactly is wrong and why. For vehicles with turbocharger, the Turbocharger serves to pump more air into the engine boosting engine power without increasing the engine volume. This turbo charger works at a very high temperature that why it requires a quality engine oil. Low quality, or old contaminated oil can be easily cooked under high temperature in the turbocharger causing it to fail. Here are some considerations: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If it is not against manufacturer recommendations, use synthetic oil, or at least be very accurate with regular oil changes. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When you stop the car after hard driving (speeding, accelerating, etc.) do not shut the engine off right away, let it idle for a while to cool down the turbocharger. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Very long uphill driving under constant load may also cause turbo to overheat, try to avoid it if possible. There are few tips on how to improve the emission test result. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Change oil before testing. For old or high mileage car using thicker oil may help. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Change spark plugs and air filter if it was a while ago since you have changed them last time. Complete tune-up may be an option for older cars. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Flushing the fuel injectors usually help. Before conducting the test you must check and adjust the tire pressure, fill the car with premium gas. Take a car for a spin on a freeway – it helps to clean spark plugs and catalytic converter and make sure, the engine is fully warmed up before test. If you have check engine light on, exhaust leaks, broken gas cap, or any other problem with vehicle emission system it needs to be repaired before the test – all those items will be inspected during the emission test. Reference: Samarins.com ;Illustrated guide to car buyers and owners. (2006)â€Å"Few tips on engine maintenance† http://www.samarins.com/maintenance/engmain.html Aol.com (2006); â€Å"Engine Management†. http://members.aol.com/dvandrews/ems.htm#topics Auto Mall USA (2006) â€Å" Mercedes Benz C-Class† http://www.automallusa.net/1996/mercedes-benz/e-class/reviews.html Horst Bauer   (2004)â€Å"Diesel Engine Management† Robert Bosch GmbH p.9 Horst Bauer (2004)â€Å"Gasoline Engine Management† Robert Bosch GmbH p.9 Hutchinson Education. (2004) †Fundamentals of Automotive Electronics â€Å" V. A. W. Hillier 1987,1996

Lamoiyan Corporation: Building the Filipinos Essay

Most corporations in the Philippines these days are multinational companies. Those companies, though operating here in the Philippines, are owned by foreigners and not by Filipinos. This fact make us Filipinos purchase products that rather than helping our fellow Filipinos will more likely help those foreigners that are just using the some Philippines. Thanks to Filipino corporations that boom because of perseverance and patriotism, they serve as hope for us, Filipinos because of what they do, not just for their own businesses, but also, for the Filipino people. One of those corporations is the Lamoiyan Corporation. The Lamoiyan Corporation The Lamoiyan Corporation did not start as a toothpaste manufacturer, rather as a supplier of aluminum collapsible toothpaste tubes to toothpaste manufacturers. In 1970s, Dr. Pedro? s Aluminum Containers, Inc. enjoyed profit growth due to the increasing demand from the country? s leading toothpaste manufacturers, ColgatePalmolive, Procter and Gamble and Philippine Refining Company (PRC) now Unilever. However, in 1985, these companies began using laminated tubes and left Dr. Pedro? s Aluminum Containers, Inc. but instead of closing his factory, throwing into waste the entire leftover toothpaste container and having 200 people employed in his company go unemployed, he decided to make his own toothpaste and place it in his aluminum containers. Two years later, he reopened his factory as Lamoiyan Corporation, now known as the manufacturer of toothpaste brands? Hapee and Kutitap. The big toothpaste makers controlled 99% market before Dr. Pedro entered it in 1987. Today, the figure dropped down to 65%. The first of Dr. Pedro? s strategies was to to target the multi-nationals’ Achilles? heel: price. While Dr. Pedro knew that he could not compete in areas such as promotion and distribution, his decision to cut price by 50% won an immediate response from consumers. However, when Colgate followed suit with a 20% price cut, Dr. Pedro turned to market diversification. Among other things, he developed multi-flavored toothpaste for children. It took Colgate three years to respond, but by that time, Lamoiyan had already successfully captured the new market. Moreover, Dr. Pedro targeted specialized markets, by diversifying his product line to include Hapee Kiddie Toothgels, Dazz Dishwashing Paste and Dazz AllPurpose Kitchen Cleaner, Fresher feminine wash and Gumtect, a special gum-formula toothpaste, which larger companies did not find profitable. Lamoiyan Corporation has been recognized as the Most Outstanding Toothpaste Manufacturer by the Consumer’s Union of the Philippines for seven years. The company was also recognized by the Personnel Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) as having the Most Outstanding Program for Equal Employment. Natural Capitalism Natural capital refers to the resources and services provided by nature. They are of large economic value – more so than the gross world product. Natural capitalism is a system of four interlinking principles, where business and environmental interests overlap, and in which businesses can better satisfy their customers’ needs, increase profits and help solve environmental problems all at the same time. Taking care of the environment is a priority of Lamoiyan Corporation. With the future generation of kids in mind, Lamoiyan Corporation makes sure that they are doing their share in protecting the environment by putting in place some measures that will help. Lamoiyan Corporation, in compliance to Republic Act 6969 or the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990, properly disposes their chemical by-products during the manufacture of their famous Hapee toothpaste and all other products. In this way, it does not damage the environment and human beings. Since water is getting scarce these days, the corporation continues in manufacturing affordable toothpaste but not overusing water resource through its wastewater treatment facility. With its wastewater treatment facility, it recycles water, thus, conserving a voluminous amount of water which is a precious resource. In addition, in terms of energy consumption, the company implements a strict energy-saving policy that involves the proper use of electricity. Their energy consumption includes turning off of unused lights and unplugging and not just turning off of personal computers and other electrical devices. With these, we can say that Lamoiyan Corporation? s business and environmental interests overlap since they don? t want to close their business and they also care for the environment that? s why they comply with every policy mandated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The corporation also can better satisfy their customer? s needs since they save on electricity and water, therefore, the price of their products will be cheaper and more affordable. They also can increase their profit while saving mother earth. Corporate Social Responsibility In its almost 24 years of success as the first Filipino to ever penetrate the toothpaste market, Lamoiyan Corporation never failed to adhere to its social responsibility. About 30 percent of the employees of Lamoiyan Corporation are hearing-impaired. Sign language is the only means of communication between the hearing-impaired and hearing personnel, so he has also required his managers to learn it. Dr. Pedro does not only employ them but also, helps provide them with free housing, thus, improving their way of life. Since there are still many deaf-mute people outside the company that also need help, Lamoiyan took it upon itself to support three schools and 14 centers that provide basic sign language courses to the hearing-impaired. Upon graduation, some students are sent to college as scholars, while others are hired by the company. For Dr. Pedro, being socially responsible is not only taking care of the hearing impaired, but also taking care of his employees, providing a decent place where they can work safely and taking care of his employees? Physical, intellectual, and spiritual well-being. His company holds regular Bible studies and prayer meetings to help make food for the soul. Their singular corporate motto is â€Å"Making the difference for the Glory of God. † Moreover, Lamoiyan? s products are very affordable for Filipino families belonging to the C, D, and E market, giving them the chance to access dental care and therefore, making their life better. William Ford Jr. , chairman of Ford Motor Co. said, â€Å"Social responsibility is much bigger than supporting worthy causes. It includes anything that impacts people and the quality of their lives. † The social responsibility of Lamoiyan Corporation does impact people and their quality of lives, it? s more than giving people fishes, but teaching them how to fish. Social Justice Social justice is the fair and proper administration of laws conforming to the natural law that all persons, irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, possessions, race, religion, etc. , are to be treated equally and without prejudice. Lamoiyan Corporation did not fail to exercise social justice as it follow laws on labor, etc. One example is its compliance to Section 3 of Article XIII of the 1987 Philippine Constitution which states: â€Å"The State shall afford full protection to labor, local and overseas, organized and unorganized, and promote full employment and equality of employment opportunities for all. † Lamoiyan Corporation promotes equality of employment opportunities for all given that they hire deaf-mute people even if they do not possess the ability to hear and to speak. Another thing, Lamoiyan Corporation complies with every policy mandated by the Department of Environment and natural Resources for the environment protection, therefore, following the law and being fair with other Filipinos since the corporation will not be a cause of calamities that destroy the Filipinos. Lamoiyan Corporation is also fair in giving salaries and benefits to its employees. They also follow the laws stated in the Labor Code of the Philippines. Regarding its treatment to its customers, I could say that Lamoiyan Corporation is fair in pricing their products compared to multi-national companies which have high-priced toothpaste with the almost the same quality as Lamoiyan? s. Filipinos get good quality toothpaste at the right price. Can Business Build Or Destroy The Filipino? Lamoiyan Corporation did very well in practicing Natural Capitalism. It follows every law and regulation mandated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and does projects other done what the DENR told them to save the planet. People might say that they are just doing these for themselves, for their business not to close, for them to save money on conserving electricity and water, etc. Well, yes, they may be doing it for themselves but let us put in mind the Invisible Hand Theory of Adam Smith. The Invisible Hand Theory of Adam Smith states that an individual will accidentally/unconsciously benefit other individuals by promoting his self interest. Lamoiyan Corporation, by promoting its business and environmental interests, benefit the Filipinos and possible, the whole world. Since they are conserving water which is getting scarce, they are helping the future Filipino people to still have water as a resource. Their energy conservation, moreover, can help lessen global warming, thus providing a better world to the next generations. The toothpaste manufacturer has a very good corporate social responsibility. Since they are employing deaf-mute Filipinos, who are supposedly unemployed because of their disability, the number of unemployed Filipinos is lessened and therefore, reducing poverty, somehow. The company, through its corporate social responsibility, does not merely give their beneficiaries fishes but they teach them how to fish through giving their beneficiaries free education. And after their education, those beneficiaries can stand on their own even without the help of the company. One question that one may ask is what would happen to their deaf-mute employees if the corporation will all of a sudden close and only the Lamoiyan Corporation employs deaf-mute Filipinos. Well, I foresee that the company will stay for the next one hundred years, if not for a lifetime, since their products are affordable and efficient. Especially these days, Filipinos are becoming wiser in choosing the products that they will use since saving money is a must. Regarding social justice, Lamoiyan Corporation recognizes basic human rights like Article VII of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states: All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination. Since Lamoiyan Corporation is fair and equal to everyone, even to the deaf-mute people, the deaf-mute people have the opportunity to live as normal people and gain confidence in order to improve themselves and eventually, the Philippines. To sum up, businesses like Lamoiyan Corporation help build the Filipino people through its efforts of promoting its business and environmental interests. First, they provide a better world for the future generations by doing their part in minimizing the effects of global warming. Yes, they cannot totally stop global warming, but doing something is much better than doing nothing. Second, it provides employment to Filipinos, especially to those who are not likely to be employed, and it gives chance to others to be employed in the future by giving them education. Employment generation is a key strategy in reducing poverty. Third, justice prevails in and out of the corporation. They respect the rights of others anywhere. Aristotle said â€Å"It is in justice that the ordering of society is centered. † Lastly, Lamoiyan Corporation is a Filipino Corporation. Filipinos have the reason to buy Filipino products whose quality can be compared with multinational corporations? products and to help their fellow Filipinos and purely, the Filipinos. Bibliography Amory Lovins. â€Å"Natural Capitalism. † Accessed January 7, 2012. http://www. abc. net. au/science/slab/natcap/ Baker, Mallen. â€Å"Corporate Social Responsibility. † Accessed January 9, 2012. http://www. mallenbaker. net/csr/definition. Php Briones, Roehlano. â€Å"Employment Generation for the Rural Poor in Asia: Perspectives, Patterns, and Policies. † Accessed January 10, 2012. http://www. adb. org/documents/periodicals/adr/pdf/BRIONES. pdf Business Dictionary. Com. â€Å"Social Justice. † Accessed: January 8, 2012. http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/social-justice. html â€Å"„Buy Filipino? Concept An Answer To Crisis, Say Consumer Executives. † Manila Bulletin, December 17, 2004. Accessed January 9, 2012. http://www. mb. com. ph/node/190337 â€Å"Cecilio Pedro: David of Philippine Business. † Filipino Christian Achievers, August 29, 2010. Accessed January 9, 2012. http://christpinoy. blogspot. com/2010/08/cecilio-pedro-david-of-philippine. html Chan Robles Virtual Law Library. â€Å"The Labor Code of The Philippines. † Accessed January 9, 2012. http://www. chanrobles. com/legal4labor3. htm De Vera, Ian Jester. â€Å"Entrepinoy Challenges Giants. † Philippine Online Chronicles, March 6,2010. Accessed January 9,2012. http://www. thepoc. net/thepoc-features/buhay-pinoy/buhay-pinoy-features/4426entrepinoy-challenges-giants. html Flores, Karen. â€Å"Cecilio Pedro: When Innovation Is Key. † ABS-CBN News, June 6, 2010. Accessed January 9, 2012. http://www. abs-cbnnews. com/business/06/06/10/cecilio-pedro-when-innovation-key â€Å"For Lamoiyan, Environment Comes First. † The Philippine Star, May 12, 2011. Accessed January 8, 2012. http://www. philstar. com/Article. aspx? articleId=685037&publicationSubCategoryId=7 5 Galarpe, Karen. †How One Filipino Company Practices Corporate Social Responsibility. † Accessed January 8, 2012. http://blogs. inquirer. net/openforbusiness/2009/03/31/how-one-filipino-company.

Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Film - Essay Example iewiczs and was an ingenious way of attacking Hearst the newspaper mogul through an evolution character Foster Kane, and focuses on a fierce duel to expose dirty under deals of a society that was suffering from social morals and integrity among many leaders and business executives. The film satires and portrays the rise of the penny press, the power of political heavy weights, rise of fascism, support for a Spanish –American war, and the growth in space for celebrity journalism. The film aims at revealing the burial truth about Kane (Rudolf Hearst), a highly regarded lord and ruler of San Simeon against a young brilliant and ambitious boy who is determined to take Hearst down by exposing his dirty deals involving Hollywood and newspaper publications. Consequently, Hearst with all his power and might goes ahead to shut the film down, and even teams up with the some Hollywood executives under the leadership of Mayor B. Louis who at a any cost attempted to buy Citizen Kane from Welles to destroy it and protect Hearst’s reputation, characteristic of any respected leader in the American society. The story thus pitted two proud, destructive, and gifted geniuses against each other, leading to destruction of each other to what the Producer Lennon Thomas remarked, "The fight that ruined them both was thoroughly in character with how theyd lived their lives"Â  (WBGH, 2009). The war between the two daring old wealthy and respected newspaper magnate Hearst and a 24 year old yet ambitious and determined news reporter ended destroying each other. However, Welles drove the point home after a long freeze of the film by Hollywood; Hearst incidentally built his vast empire selling papers with highly entertaining stories, which were scandalous to others, and sometimes were pure fiction. The ruthless, skillful and open contempt for Hollywood thus led to the success of Welles, and in 1942, the film though named for seven categories lost all but the best screenplay after which the

Critical Summary of a recent journal article in cognitive psychology Essay

Critical Summary of a recent journal article in cognitive psychology. The aim of this is to help students in their critical reading and note taking - Essay Example This article describes the different psychological aspects of how children tend to lie and whether the adults are able to determine if the child is lying or not. It explains a child’s psychology that with age a child starts to determine the concepts and thinking of adults and hence he can successfully lie. In this respect a lengthy research was conducted in which children from the age group of 10 to 13 were chosen and they were interviewed. These interviews were videotaped and shown to observers who were then questioned and data was collected from them to reach to a final result to determine the different verbal and non verbal aspects of a child’s lying and whether the adults could accurately find out if the child was lying or not. The results of the research showed that prepared lies were difficult to be caught than unprepared ones and the reason for this being that the children are able to think and plan the details before lying. It also showed that they could more easily know that the child is telling the truth but it is difficult for them to judge whether he is lying. And last but not the least adults were not good at determining the child’s deception. Regarding the children it was seen that they were equally nervous when they were telling a lie or the truth when facing the interviewer so this could not be considered to be a major factor. One interesting thing which was seen was that the lying patterns of children were somewhat similar to adults as they tried to remain calm and cool while lying and also they were actually trying to relate their lies with real life incidents. The final conclusion that we get is that it is very difficult for an adult to know if a child is lying or not. This poses a serious problem especially when children facing criminal charges are to be questioned. Factors that adults more often consider to check a child’s lie for example the

Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Finance - Essay Example This report analyses the behaviour of the stock in the past five years, links it to the financial performance of the company and predicts the future trend that may emerge. This report also analyses the value of the TESCO share as an instrument for investment in absolute terms. Different tools are available for making financial analysis of stocks and range from the very simple and elegant to the very complex and difficult to understand ones. Here we use some of the most recognised analysis methods such as Earnings per Share (EPS); Price to Earnings Ratio (PE); Cash Flow Discounting; Market Value; and Book Value. The financial performance of the company is better understood through the calculation of some important ratios that assist us in further detailed appraisal. (These ratios are calculated from the summary financial performance sheets placed at Enclosures 1 and 2.) This ratio helps us understand the relative importance of long-term debt in the capital structure and can therefore provide useful additional information for assessing the acceptability of the overall leverage position of the business. The long-term leverage of the company is good and shows a positive and reducing trend over the period considered. Indicating that the long term debt is coming down and this will impact future interest burden as well as allow the company to raise further funds in the debt market, should they be required. c. Interest cover = operating profit / interest charges This shows the number of times available profit covers interest charges and measures the extent to which operating profit can fall without being insufficient to cover the interest charges and thereby create a pre-tax loss. 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2007-08 Operating Profit 1361 1600 1943 2235 2653 1289 Interest Expenses 227 258 235 241 216 20 Interest Cover (Times) 6.00 6.20 8.27 9.27 12.28 N.R.2 The effect of the lowering debt resulting in lowering of the interest burden is clearly evident in these numbers. The company appears to have no problem in servicing its debt, the numbers compare very favourably with the industry average of 3.29. 1.2 Operating performance: The ratios that are relevant are: a. Return on Capital Employed (also known as the primary ratio) = Operating Profit / Capital Employed

Change and Development in the English Language Research Paper

Change and Development in the English Language - Research Paper Example There has been significant evidence which suggests that Milton "tried to indicate a distinction in spelling, for instance, between the stressed and the unstressed forms of the personal pronouns - mee, hee, see, and there for the emphatic forms, and me, he, she, their, for the weaker ones." (Wrenn, 170-1) Topic Sentence 3: Milton was the greatest master in English poetic language, next only to Shakespeare, but "besides being the master in poetic diction of so many who have followed, Milton has left some notable marks on the language which go far beyond this sphere." (Wrenn, 173) John Milton enjoys an outstanding position as a molder and exemplar of English poetic diction and as the greatest master in English poetic language, next only to Shakespeare. However, he has also played an exceptional role in the change and development of the English language and he has made an exceptional contribution to the growth of the language in the 17th Century.  Milton is highly regarded as a prominent figure in the development of the language through the century, mainly due to his ideas on spelling with which he experimented, his study and practice of the language, and for his contribution of a number of words and phrases to the literary vocabulary of English language. John Milton has an exceptional role in the change and development of the English language, apart from his outstanding position as a molder and paradigm of English poetic diction, and â€Å"he had ideas on spelling, with which he experimented; he was a keen student of the language and a supreme practitioner in it, and he has added a number of words and phrases to the literary vocabulary if not to the spoken.†Ã‚  Significantly, the first two paragraphs of his ‘Paradise Lost’ illustrate the English language of the 17th Century. His contribution to the growth English language through his epic poem ‘Paradise Lost’ includes the transformation of spelling, the contribution of a number of new words and phrases etc.

Tourism Management Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Tourism Management Assignment - Essay Example This paper looks at current performance of the Eiffel Tower as a tourist destination. The first part will give basic information and a brief review of visits. As this paper aims to look at how Eiffel Tower fares as a tourist destination, it will utilize analytical methods to justify and strengthen the assessment. After the analysis on the operation of Eiffel Tower, the paper will give recommendations and possible measures that can be undertaken to increase tourist arrivals and receipts. Also, it will offer suggestions on how to further maximize the utility gained by travelers when visiting Eiffel Tower. These recommendations will of course, lay on the future prospects which will also be identified in this paper. The Eiffel Tower is a famous tourist attraction not only in France but in the entire world. This structure is a symbol of the innovative technology which is already existent at the end of the 19th century. Postcards sent from France usually carry an image of the tower, indicating the popularity of this massive structure. Eiffel Tower, being the top attraction in Paris records approximately 6 million visitors annually (The Structure of Eiffel Tower and Its Evolution 2006). The Eiffel Tower was built for the International Exhibition of Paris of 1889 to celebrate and commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution. The design of the Eiffel Tower came from Gustave Eiffel, who won among the 700 proposals submitted in a design competition. After its construction, the tower was officially opened by the Prince of Wales King Edward VII of England. The establishment of the tower in 1889 marked the completion of the world's tallest (300 meters) building until 1930. At first, the building of the tower was met with resistance as people consider it as an eyesore. Now, this proves to be wrong as it draws a lot of tourists and income to France. There are a lot of amazing facts which attracts tourists to this particular establishment. For one, the tower's height varies according to the temperature. This is due to the fact that the metal used in building the Eiffel Tower expands as temperature rises. Thus, the top of the tower may shift away from the sun by up to 8cm (3.25 inches). The Eiffel tower is being repainted every seven years to protect the structure from rust. Tourists are given a chance to take part in choosing what color the tower will be by a poll. Tourists can explore the three levels of the structure to totally appreciate the beauty of the Eiffel Tower. The ground floor is consists of the massive hydraulic elevator machinery which has been used since 1899, change office and the Paris Tourist Office. Meanwhile, tourists can stroll and relax at the first floor where anyone can have a glimpse of the tower's recent and past history. The first floor also houses a section of the spiral staircase, the original hydraulic pump, a FerOscope, Observatory of Tower Top Movement, the panoramic indicators, historical panels, Cineffeil, exhibitions of the tower, souvenir shop, snack bar, "PARIS-TOUR EFFIEL" Post Office and internet stations and phone booths. Altitude 95, one of the only two restaurants in the tower can also be visited in the first floor. The second floor offers a 360 view of the whole city of Paris. This is the perfect spot to make a photographic study of the city. Like the first floor, this level

Did asteroids kill the dinosaurs Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Did asteroids kill the dinosaurs - Coursework Example Many scientists currently believe that a large asteroid impact caused such devastation on the planet that nearly all of the higher life forms, including the large dinosaurs, were killed off. This is evidenced by a large crater found outside of Chicxulub, Mexico, which is also known as the Yucatan crater because it is found at the end of the Yucatan peninsula. At first, however, the main source of evidence for this theory was the existence of a layer of irridium dust found in many places all over the planet. This element is not commonly found in large amounts on the Earth's surface, and its presence in a single band at a similar depth in a number of different soils could mean that a large asteroid containing irridium crashed into the Earth and scattered dust all over the planet (York 2006). When the Chicxulub crater was eventually found, it turned out to be an elongated crater from a hit that most likely involved a low angle of impact. This further supports the irridium evidence since the low angle of impact means that the asteroid would have basically exploded, sending its pieces flying, as well as throwing up a huge cloud of dust and debris (Hecht 1996). The asteroid theory states that the dinosaurs would have been killed as a result of this dust cloud. The dust cloud was so enormous as to have risen into the atmosphere and been swept around the planet by the circulating air currents. The sunlight would be blocked out by this dust cloud, reducing the ability of plants to photosynthesise and create energy off of which they could live. Since plants are at the bottom of nearly all of the food chains on Earth, without the energy provided to them through photosynthesis, animal life struggled to find enough food. Most of the dinosaur species were large and heavy, requiring huge amounts of plant life to support their energy needs; as the plants died out, so did the dinosaurs, leaving only the relatively much smaller mammals and birds. In addition, this cloud caused t he temperature all over the planet to drop, directly killing off many dinosaur species (York 2006). However, no actual physical evidence exists that the asteroid which struck at Chicxulub was responsible for those changes. The fossil record of that era is scarce, and some of what does exist suggests a much longer and drawn-out extinction event than is usually suggested with the asteroid extinction theory. This claim, though, is based on studies performed in the Far East, especially China, which is far from the suggested impact site. Perhaps the fossil record at this location suggests a slower extinction because it is far from the impact crater and so the climate changes and plant life die-off happened slower (Zhao et al. 2008). Climate change is another suggestion for what could have killed off the dinosaurs. Most dinosaurs were what is known as ecothermic reptiles, taking in their heat from the environment rather than making it themsevles as mammals and birds do. In addition to the direct effects of the temperature dropping, the climate change would also have affected plant life in the same way that climate change after the asteroid would have. However, the ultimate cause of this climate change, other than if it were caused by the

Comparing and contrasting the information presented by Glaze and Essay

Comparing and contrasting the information presented by Glaze and Forster - Essay Example They move from one grove section in the village to another and camp at groves, which become recognised as initiation posts. The forest can also be considered a grove. The Senufo people have a secret society of men called the Poro with the members called Colobele and one member called a Colo. This society has different age grades which have differing responsibilities. According to Forster, the minor age group consists of men aged 20 years (Forster, 1993). A more senior Poro tests the younger age grade by asking them â€Å"passwords† using the secret language of the society. The age group above the junior Poro also teaches the junior Poro the work they should do. In the farmer’s category, the junior Poro carry out tasks in the field where they are not allowed to speak to other members in the village. When comparing the two, Glaze (1986) mainly focuses on the ceremonial activities. She explains activities such as the initiation ceremony. As per her explanation, the junior Poro use their masks to story tell. This activity by Poro happens to be the only similarity in the activities between Glaze’s and Forster’s explanation. The Poro practice different activities in their daily routine. Some of these practises have a spiritual inclination, whereas others have a practical inclination. The activities described by Glaze have the spiritual inclination (Glaze, 1986). These revolve around rituals such as initiation, funerals and use of masquerades. Those described by Forster seek practical solutions such as food, making equipment and ornaments. Forster also goes on to describe spiritual activities such as dancing in the masks (Forster, 1993). The spiritual activities have ceremonies such as initiation whereby procedures with a symbolic meaning occur. For the practical procedures, goals such as obtaining food, making equipment and ornaments happen to be the main objective. The Senufo people have various forms

How would you describe the expansion of the United States between 1783 Research Paper

How would you describe the expansion of the United States between 1783 and 1840s - Research Paper Example The expansion that took place in the period between 1783 and 1840 is the reason behind the large size of the USA and its current strong economic position. Is also led to the end of slave trade in the USA The first expansion of the USA took place in 1783 after the treaty of Paris which brought to an end the revolutionary war. England agreed to the claims of the Americans to own the southern land which included the great lakes and the Mississippi river (Rothman 57). The Americans were not successful in getting the Gulf of Mexico, and it remained under ownership of Spain. The next expansion of the United States took place in 1787 whereby the US expanded with the Northwest ordinance of 1787 (Rothman 116). This ordinance established the Northwest Territory, which covered states such as of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The expansion is renowned for having banned slavery in the north of Ohio River. In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson talked terms of the purchase of the French claims on the Louisiana territory which they had previously obtained from the Spain. The negotiations were secret, and it is believed that the president purchased the territory at a price of $15million. The land purchased included the western half of the Mississippi river, and it doubled the initial size of the USA. The purchase also extended to the Gulf of Mexico, which was very productive in agriculture. Settler’s movement to the Louisiana territory raised the question of slave trade. The settlers applied for statehood after reaching a number of 60000 and in 1819, it officially became a slave state (Morgan 34). Before 1810, the country had occupied most parts of the Mississippi river but had little control over its mouth which was located in the Spanish Florida (Shelly 239). In 1810, the United States seized the western part of Florida, and it led to the outbreak of war between the Spaniards and the Americans (Smith 17). However, the Spaniards relented since

Of mice and men Essay Example for Free

Of mice and men Essay Crooks is an educated black cripple who tends horses on the ranch. He has been prey of oppressive violence and prejudice and has retired behind an exterior of detachment and reserve, his natural personality deadened and suppressed by years of hostility. He has known better times and, unlike most southern blacks at that time, was brought up on a small holding run by his father. This is the type of home longed for by Lennie, George and Candy and, despite his initial cynicism, Crooks also becomes caught up in their dream of escape. Crooks automatic rejection of friendship or companionship has more to do with the torture of his loneliness than with anything else. Once encouraged to do so, he reveals that he has an intelligent awareness of life. He has thought hard during his long hours of solitude. His new found confidence and self-respect encourage him to try to counter the intrusion of Curleys wife, but he is humiliated by her vicious threats. His new optimism is finally defeated by Georges dismissive attitude to the suggestion that he might participate in the running of the Dream Farm. Crooks loses out on a lot of things because he is not part of the white community. He loses out mainly on friendship, which causes Crooks to feel isolate and lonely throughout the novel. Crooks is a very lonely man and so he reads a lot, if he was to mix with the white community he would be out enjoying himself. He has no one to talk to and is segregated from the rest of the ranch community having his own room in the barn. I think if Crooks were to have a choice he would enjoy mixing with the white men but at the first sign of trouble he would return to the protectiveness of how own room in the barn. Crooks loses out mainly on respect from the ranch community because he is willing to do anything in which he is told to do. He still receives no praise or respect form the ranch community. I think Crooks has drawn himself into a false sense of security, he has hidden himself form the rest of the world, afraid to show his true personality. Crooks Im sure is a kind and generous person but because of the years of torment and segregation he is forced to remain hospitable to the white community. Crooks is a smart and educated person who is not able to show his thoughts and emotions to anyone. He does not complain about the insults and racial remarks which Curleys wife makes because he knows if he does his new found confidence will be shattered with an extreme racial remark. Crooks although he loses out greatly also gains a lot from being segregated from the rest. He keeps himself to himself giving him plenty of time to think things through. I think Crooks imagines that if he were to mix with the white community he would only receive abuse. An example of this was when Crooks got into a fight when he was allowed into the ranch at Christmas. This is also why Crooks gains a lot form not being apart of the white community ie not being there for them to abuse or to make racial remarks towards. Nicholas Toland 1 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE John Steinbeck section.

Arguments For and Against Compulsory Voting

Arguments For and Against Compulsory Voting Graham McGuire Introduction The position adopted in this essay is that voting in elections should not be compulsory. Australia is one of at least twenty countries which compel their citizens to vote in Federal, State and most Local government elections. Australia forced its compulsory voting (CV) laws on its citizens in government elections was quite early in its history. It started with making enrolment for federal elections compulsory this was introduced in 1912. Then Queensland was the first state to force their citizens to vote in state elections compulsory in 1915 with all other states following at a later dates. With the Federal government introducing CV laws for their citizens in 1924 (Australian Electoral Commission 2011). . Arguments used for or against compulsory voting Arguments in favour: It is a civic duty to vote similar to other citizens duties e.g. taxation, jury duty Demonstrates the values of political participation Parliament should reflect the entire electorate in policy management and formulation Political candidates can manage their electioneering resources on other issues rather than having to persuading voters to be present at the poll The voter is not required to vote for anybody as voting is using secret ballot. Arguments against: It is not democratic to compel people to vote it’s an infringement of liberty The uninformed and individuals with no interest in politics are compelled to vote It increases the amount of informal votes and donkey votes It increases the amount of safe, single member electorates so as political parties can concentrate on more marginal electorates Resources have to be allocated to ascertain who failed to vote or who have valid reason not to vote (AEC 2011). The AEC didn’t include ‘Turn Out’ in its arguments, yet the main reason given on most of the reading on this subject of CV is that Governments are worried about poor turnout of voters. There are other reasons for and against CV but the AEC arguments are a fair representation of the pros and cons. Turn Out Supporters of CV say that it improves turnout, so it helps to legitimise governments in Australia. They claim that in countries where voting is voluntary, a lot of political party activity in elections is assigned to getting citizens out to vote (Parliament of Australia 2005, 3). CV can’t be defended by claiming that the government’s legitimacy was formed with a low turn-out is very questionable, for the amount of numbers doesn’t add any credibility in this regard. Making citizens vote doesn’t improve the quality of democracy, it’s the enabling of the citizens in how rules of a community should be determined. The misunderstanding is that democracy doesn’t permit citizens to do everything, along with entitlements also comes responsibilities. Citizens that are not concerned about politics shouldn’t vote (Moraro 2012). Which is preferable: a high turnout, where voters decide on bad or good looks of the leader of the party or flipping a co in, or low turnout where voters decide on issues or performance of the political party? Arguably it’s the latter. Voters who are less interested and less informed are the first to not vote. Consequently, if turnout is low the quantity of political sophistication is high. From the viewpoint of elections as implements of democracy, nonparticipation of these voters would be contemplated as desirable. Therefore low turnout obtains a more informed outcome (Rosema M 2007, 612-622). Low voter turnout suggests we aren’t taking democracy as earnestly as certain people would like to, but this does not require that we must substitute democracy with something else (Brennan J 2009, pp. 535-549). The candidates no need to encourage voters to vote with CV Both major political parties have supported CV as it relieves them of the task encouraging their supporters to vote. It is generally accepted that without CV that voters of a lower socioeconomic status would be less likely to vote. This would disadvantage the ALP? This would force the major parties to also pitch their messages to the young and those in the lower socioeconomic strata that there is a definite need to vote (Woodward 2010, 198-199). But would this not be a good thing to force political parties to prepare policies to vie for the votes of the underprivileged, the feeble or the marginalized. A voluntary voting system persuades political parties to focus policies at the underprivileged in order to persuade them to turn out and vote (idebate.org 2012). Compulsory voting worldwide There are only five democracies which Australia is one of in the world, where voting in elections is compulsory. A Federal backbencher proposed the Bill, there was very little debate before it was passed by both Houses of Parliament (AEC 2010). Australia is now only one of about twenty nations which force their citizens to vote at elections. Five countries are in Europe (they are moderately minor countries of Cyprus, Belgium, Luxembourg, Greece and Liechtenstein), ten in South and Central America, two in Oceania, and one in Africa. Yet, Australia continues to be the only main advanced industrialised democracy that voting is still compulsory. The Netherlands, had CV from 1917 and 1971 and then decided to become voluntary, their average turnout went from 94.6 to 81.5 per cent. If Australia was to change to a voluntary voting system a comparable drop would most likely to occur here (Quadrant Magazine 2013). Our leaders should inspire and motivate citizens to vote with ideas not with thr eats of fines. Voluntary voting in the long term will improve voter participation. Presently we have 81% voter turnouts but this would be lower if not for the blind guesses and donkey votes (Hirst J 2009). Australia is a liberal democracy that values individual rights, it may have a lower turn out with voluntary voting but it would make it right rather than a duty. Making Citizens Vote When They Shouldn’t Vote A western democratic citizen has a political entitlement to vote, which is established on justice and must be legally protected. But the right to vote doesn’t mean they should vote. Under the right of free speech they can advocate slavery, but it would be morally wrong to do so. When CV makes citizens vote there is a moral obligation not to vote shoddily and without any regard to the outcome. Voters shouldn’t be obliged vote but if they do, they owe it to themselves and others to vote rationally, just, unbiased and informed concerning their political beliefs. Correspondingly, we aren’t obligated to be parents, but if we do, we ought to be conscientious, good parents. If we aren’t then we ought not to be parents likewise not vote. A good liberal democracy makes citizens safe in their position as equal and free citizens that they could freely choose to avoid politics. Liberal democracy is a significant public good and everyone should do their part to maintai n it. A person can do their part by bowing out. A good vote is cancelled by a bad vote. A good vote is a contribution to society, and then evading a bad vote would also be a contribution to society (Brennan J 2009, pp. 535-549). Voting not required with CV as voting is using secret ballot The argument against CV is that casting your vote can be an onerous burden placed on citizens. Against this Mr Christopher Bayliss stated, in a proposal to JSCEM[1], that: All our voting system requires is for a voter to attend a polling booth and mark some papers as they wish, approximately once every three years. This does not seem to be an insurmountable burden to be part of a democracy(Australian Electoral Commission 2006). Many other people have said that you don’t have to vote all you have to do is go to a polling booth and have your name crossed of the roll and you don’t have to cast a vote and will not have to pay the fine. If you wish to break the law this most likely would work. It is your duty as a citizen and especially as a professional with professional responsibility not to break the law. The Commonwealth Electoral Act, states It shall be the duty of every elector to VOTE at each election. The actual duty of the elector is to attend a polling place, have their name marked off the certified list, receive a ballot paper and take it to an individual voting booth, mark it, fold the ballot paper and place it in the ballot box†(Electoral Act 1918 (Cth) s 245(1)). Strict liability applies to this offence (Electoral Act 1918 (Cth) s 245(15) (A)). Undemocratic to Force Citizens to Vote The case for democratic freedom would imply that CV is essentially undemocratic as the freedom of choice must certainly incorporate the democratic freedom not to choose as democracy extremely values individual freedom (Lever, A. 2009, 66-67). It is fundamental to liberal-democratic tradition. Ciccone contends that it is a guarantee of a free democratic society that its citizens are unrestricted to formulate their own selections including if to vote or not to vote in any election. Ciccone maintains that the rational inverse of the entitlement to vote, is an entitlement not to vote and because it is just as essential as the entitlement to vote, it should be given the equivalent respect and draw the same aims of strict legal scrutiny when its threatened (Ciccone, 2001-2, pp. 347-8). CV is accused with violating fundamental human rights, namely the freedom of religion, conscience and thought[2]. However, in the case of X v Austria[3] the court found that CV didn’t violate fundamen tal freedoms, as Austria’s legislation only required attendance at a polling booth and not having to vote was not compulsory (Malkopoulou A 2011 p 247). In Australia the legislation states it is the duty of each elector to vote not just get your name crossed off[4]. Justice Blackburn stated that casting an invalid vote was a violation of the Act (Australian Electoral Commission 2013). â€Å"The claim that compulsion violates the liberal-democratic principles of choice and freedom is without doubt a valid one† (Hill, L. 2007, 5). Kevin Borick QC stated the Australian constitution maintains that all Australians have a right to vote, yet the electoral act maintains that it is a duty. The constitution over rides the electoral act the CV structure is an undemocratic violation of personal freedom and of free will (News. Com. Au. 2011). Conclusion There are no issues that the electoral procedure is a very important function of democratic culture. There is also no issue that voting is a moral responsibility of every voter in a democracy. The issue is if a person can be forced to vote in contradiction of their own conviction in the interest of democracy. There is no argument that there are advantages of compulsory voting as experienced in Australia and how this has influenced higher voter turnouts. Yet, the evaluation of democracy mustn’t be diminished to the point of only electoral participation. Voting, regardless of its importance is only one part of democratic participation, as experience has shown, but not an exceptionally convincing one. Governments have been ousted; leaders have been replaced despite claims of legitimacy. Electoral participation is important because it allows citizens to select from amongst candidates that are deemed the finest to lead the country. Democratic societies value individual freedom, inc luding the freedom of not having to vote. Voting is a realistic choice that a voter resolves to exercise when it is in their best interest to do so. Compelling them to do so is undemocratic. The greater turnout rates in countries with CV might not be necessarily good. It has been shown that countries with CV also have high protest or invalid votes. Democracy can’t be enriched when citizens have to vote because they are compelled to in order to avoid penalties. It is only when citizens freely choose to participate in the electoral procedure can their votes be truly and authentic thoughtful of their inclination. Liberal democratic government is a complicated system that respects not only electoral involvement but provides opportunities for citizens to express their equality, freedom, choice and reasoned judgment. Bibliography Australian Electoral Commission 2006, Compulsory voting in Australia, prepared by Tim Evans, viewed 18 April 2014, http://aec.gov.au/About_AEC/Publications/voting/index.htm>. Australian Electoral Commission 2011, Compulsory Voting, viewed 8 April 2014, http://www.aec.gov.au/voting/Compulsory_Voting.htm >. Australian Electoral Commission 2013, Understanding Australian electoral legislation, viewed 4 April 2014, http://www.aec.gov.au/voting/Compulsory_Voting.htm>. Australian Electoral Commission 2014, Should voting be voluntary, viewed 4 April 2014, http://www.aec.gov.au/faqs/voting_australia.htm>. Brennan J 2009, Polluting the Polls: When Citizens Should Not Vote, Australasian Journal of Philosophy Volume 87, Issue 4, December 2009, pp. 535-549, viewed 16 April 2014, online at: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/. Ciccone, A, 2001-2. ‘The Constitutional Right to Vote is Not a Duty’, Hamline Journal of Public Law and Policy, 325, 325-357, viewed 23 April 2014. Electoral Act 1918 (Cth). Hill, L. 2007, Compulsory Voting in Australia: History, Public Acceptance and Justifiability, Paper presented to the ECPR Joint Sessions Workshop on â€Å"Compulsory Voting: Principles and Practice†, May 7 – 12, Helsinki, Finland. Hirst J 2009, Why Australia Should Abolish Compulsory Voting, viewed 12 April 2014, http://www.thoughtbroker.com.au/why-australia-should-abolish-compulsory-voting-with-john-hirst/ >. idebate.org 2012, This house would make voting compulsory, viewed 13 April 2014,http://wwww.idebate.org/debatabase/debates/politics/house-would-make-voting-compulsory>. Lever, A. 2009, Is Compulsory Voting Justified? Journal of Political and Moral Philosophy, Public Reason 1 (1): 57-74, viewed 23 April 2014. Malkopoulou A 2011, The History of Political Debates on Compulsory Voting, viewed 24 April 2014, https://jyx.jyu.fi/dspace/bitstream/handle/123456789/37907/978-951-39-4759-0.pdf?sequence=1>. Moraro, P 2012, Why Compulsory Voting Undermines Democracy, Living Ehtics, Issue 88 viewed 9 April 2014, http://www.ethics.org.au/articles/why-compulsory-voting-undermines-democracy>. News. Com. Au. 2011, Fight for Right to Not Vote, viewed 24 April 2014, http://www.news.com.au/national/fight-for-right-not-to-vote/story-e6frfkvr-1226317057696>. Parliament of Australia 2005, Compulsory voting in Australian national elections, viewed 8 April 2014, http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22library%2Fprspub%2F06SH6%22 >. Quadrant Magazine 2013, How Compulsory Voting Subverts Democracy, viewed 12 April 2014, http://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2013/09/how-compulsory-voting-subverts-democracy/ >. Rosema, M 2007, Low turnout: Threat to democracy or blessing in disguise, Department of Political Science, University of Twente, viewed 11 April 2014, http://www.utwente.nl/mb/pa/staff/rosema/publications/key_publications/article_rosema_electoral_studi.pdf >. Woodward, D, Parkin, A Summers, J (eds.) 2010, Government, Politics, Power and Policy in Australia, 9th edn, Pearson, Frenchs Forest NSW. 1 [1] Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters. [2] Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights. [3] Application No. 4982/71) in 1971, the European Court of Human Rights. [4] Electoral Act 1918 (Cth) s 245(1).

Marketing Plan For Tui Travel Plc Tourism Essay

Marketing Plan For Tui Travel Plc Tourism Essay This section resumes the marketing opportunities, strategy and financial objectives for senior manager who are in charge with the approval of the marketing plan. TUI Travel PLC is looking to extend its already integrated operations by opening a sightseeing division. The pilot will be executed in the UK, as London is one of the major destinations for overseas travellers. The company will be able to compete with the sightseeing at local level and the pilot out of London tour, which provides the same attractions as the three already established sightseeing tour operators. The product will be offered to all our customers, orientated principally to families and empty nesters. The primary marketing objective is in line with the corporate policies of integrating and offering customers a customised service suitable to their needs. 2 BUSINESS OVERVIEW TUI AG is considered the leading integrated tourism provider in Europe, it is divided in three sectors: TUI Travel PLC, TUI Hotels Resorts and the Cruise brands Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten and TUI Cruises. TUI Travel PLC was formed in 2007 by the merge of First Choice PLC and the Tourism Division of TUI AG. The company operates in four sectors: Mainstream, Specialist and Emerging Markets, Activity and Destination and Accommodation. According to Interbrand, the success of TUI AG as a corporation is the message embedded in its mission statement Putting a smile on peoples faces, along with their corporate culture of excellency aim to provide customers with an unforgettable experience during their holidays, while reinforcing sustainability in all its destinations. TUI Travel PLC possesses the strengths inherent from being part of a major corporation including brand awareness, comprehensive services, leading domestic player. The key opportunities come from the joint ventures and the growth in hotel industry. Its principal weakness is dependence in the European market; also face the threats of competition from low cost carriers and slowdown in the markets economy. Strengths Brand Awareness: TUI Travel PLC operates principally through First Choice and Thompson, both have a reputation for servicing the leisure travel customer, providing differentiated and flexible options to meet changes in demand. Comprehensive Services Having a broad range of services, the companys operations cover the whole tourism segments and the diverse stages of a holiday: from retail, tour operating, flying and accommodation up to additional services at the destination. The company owns a network of travel agencies with active presence in more than 15 markets in Europe, as well as a fleet of aircraft through TUI Fly. TUI Hotels provides hotel accommodation to its various destinations. Additionally, the company offers luxury and premium class cruise liners through its Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten joint venture. Leading domestic player The company supplies travel services for over 30 million customers from 27 source markets. It also provides airline services with a fleet of more than 146 aircraft and 350 retail shops in Europe. Additionally, TUI Hotels Resorts is considered the leading hotelier in Europe with around 243 hotels with approximately 154,000 beds in 28 countries. The major brands of hotels include Riu, Grupotel, Iberotel, Robinson, Grecotel, Magic Life, and Dorfhotel. Weaknesses Dependence on Europe TUI AG is greatly dependant on Europe for its income generation, around 79% of its revenues. High focus of operations in a single region increase the companys chances to more diverse risk exposure such as local factors i.e.: lower demand, severe weather conditions, labor strikes, change in regional laws and economic conditions, thus constraining the ability for growth. Opportunities Joint venture agreements In March 2009, TUI Travel and Air Berlin come into a long-term strategic partnership for their German sector flight segment, based on a cross ownership where TUI Travel, through a subsidiary, will have an interest of 19.9% in Air Berlin. Growing global hotels and motels industry The worldwide hotels and motels sector has observed a major growth in recent years. The industry performance is anticipated to recover further. With well-built geographic presence in hotel industry, TUI Hotel Motel is well positioned to take advantage of this opportunity head on. Treats Economic slowdown in Europe Since the companys revenues rely on the general economic conditions of the region and the economic position of Europe is projected to be weak after the recent chaos in financial markets and consumer attitude, it could reduce the demand for the companys products and services. Competition from low cost airlines Whereas traditional airlines are encountering rigorous challenges such as elimination of routes and reducing staff, the low cost sector carry on expanding at a incredible rate, trends show that the low cost carriers are becoming leading players on a considerable number of intra-European short -haul point-to-point routes. Strong competition from low cost airlines could negatively influence the companys operations. 3 MARKET OVERVIEW Although the tourism industry had a steady growth over the last few years, it is evident that it is not immune to the effects of economic and health alerts. According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of visits to the UK fell in 2008 for the first time since 2001, overseas residents made 31.9 million visits to the UK in 2008 compared with 32.8 million in 2007, a fall of 2.7 per cent. Despite the decline in the number of visits, spending on trips to the UK reached record levels during 2008; overseas residents coming to the UK spent a total of  £16.3 billion, an increase of 2.3 per cent on the 2007 figure (published 16th July 2009)  [1]   However the same office, has reported that in the three months to February 2010, compared with the previous three months, the seasonally adjusted results from the international Passenger Survey showed that: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Overseas residents visits to the UK increased by 2 per cent to 7.5 million. Figures for the most recent months are provisional and subject to revision in light of (a) more accurate data on passenger figures becoming available at the end of each quarter (published 15th April 2010)  [2]   Although the figures above only represent the winter trends, gives an indication of improvement in the market. TUI Travel PLC, could see such indication as an opportunity to get stronghold in the market in the future. 3.1 CUSTOMER INFORMATION The company uses a policy based on its brand identification, for example First Choice is aimed primarily to families, while Thompson has characterised its segment target to be oriented to couples and seniors. Both segments assumed to have additional disposable income. 3.2 SERVICE INFORMATION As previously stated, the company offers an integrated range of tourist services, personalised according to customers demands and needs. Thus, in order to integrate further its operations the aim of this project is to highlight the relevance of a sightseeing venture to facilitate the overseas customers visiting UK for example. 4 OBJECTIVES The key objectives for the UK sightseeing division under TUI Travel PLC are: Further integration of services provide to overseas customers. Continue with the differentiation policies in all products offers. Aim to carry 50% of UK visitors from its various brands to different sightseeing attractions during the first year of operations. The carrying rates are to rise on 20% on yearly basis thereafter. 5 STRATEGY The UK Sightseeing division will provided customers with a friendly, personalised experience while using professionals guides to accompany groups in their trips to the historic and most relevant sights. 5.1 PRODUCT Initially the products will encompass the following products: London tourist sights: Panoramic of London, Photo stop at Buckingham Palace, Photo stop at Saint Paul Cathedral, Lunch in a traditional English pub, cruise for the river Thames and entrance to the London Eye. Outside London: Entrance to the Windsor Castle, Roman Bath with walking tour of the historic town, Lunch in a traditional English pub in Salisbury and entrance to Stonehenge. Customers will be pick-up from their hotels at a pre-determine time in order to ensure that all passenger are present at time of departure. At the meeting point customers will be introduce to their guide for the day and will be taken to the vehicles designated for the chosen tour. 5.2 PRICE Considering that there is three more sightseeing tour operators in the UK, the prices should be in line with similar products offers by the competitors in order to maintain the demand for the products. However, since the business unit will be part of a package holiday, TUI Travel will surely achieve a higher level of economies of scale when contracting the services of suppliers involved on the operational side of the tours. 5.3 PLACE PROMOTION Stores: The Company have to its disposition over 650 retail shops around UK, which will give them a competitive advantage over its competitors, as the three major sightseeing operators only serve London through their call centres. Website: First Choice and Thompson both enjoy large websites, which are characterised for being user friendly and easy to navigate, thus any customer interested in additional services will be able to find the combination of products suitable to their needs. Search engines optimization: To improve the discovery of the websites, UK sightseeing division will ensure that links are built within key Internet search engines sites, as well as key word register to the main domains (i.e. holidays, short breaks, all inclusive, etc) Advertising: Once the operational site of the UK sightseeing division is up and running, TUI Travel will make the announcement through its major website, as well as to link the release news on the websites for all its subsidiaries within the group, to ensure that customers booking holidays in advance are aware of the new available services. Public Relations: Prior to the opening the company will invite representatives from its hotel portfolio to enjoy the tours offered and request feedback on their views as to evaluate the services in offer. The company will arrange for a formal launch of its new division, inviting relevant press representatives from major newspapers as well as tourism specialised magazines. Promotion: High quality brochure is to be promoted and make available in all hotels belonging to the group for display (concierge desk for example) available to all customer staying at the hotels. 5.4 PEOPLE Appropriate staff is essential for a service to be perceived and recognised by its customer. The difference between customer retention or not is mostly attributed to the way services and management customer techniques are delivered by a company. Staff must have the suitable interpersonal skills, attitude, and service knowledge to give the service that consumers are paying for.  [3]   TUI is very supportive when it comes to training and ongoing development and believes it is vital that people are given opportunities to learn throughout their career. The company has its own dedicated in-house Learning and Development team and there are many opportunities for development such as workshops on a variety of topics, one-to-one coaching, e-learning and where appropriate, TUI support their staff to undertake professional and vocational qualifications relevant to their role. All staff has regular one-to-one reviews with their managers to support their ongoing development and explore further opportunities for training and development.  [4]   5.5 PROCESSES Relates to the systems used to aid a company to deliver the service. The company will ensure that time tables are kept in order to avoid delays on the running of the tours. Make certain that customers place their lunch order in time during the morning tour, as to ascertain that lunch meal will be served according to schedule. Any complains or recommendation should be dealt promptly to maintain customer confidence. 5.6 PHISICAL EVIDENCE The physical evidence is an important element of the service mix, customers evaluate their perceptions based on their view of the service provided, having an impact on the organisations perceptual plan of the overall service.  [5]   Primary the company will aim to close the gap between customer expectations and company perception of the customer needs. 6 BUDGETS Item Date Cost Measure of success Website adjustment 30 May  £2500 Number of hits per month 3000 Payment to search engines adv to increase exposure 15 June  £13000 All subsidiaries sites carrying links Brochure 01 June  £10000 Deliver to all hotels in the group Advertising in specialised magazines 01 June  £10000 Monthly slot secure for 6 months Site hosting costs 15 June  £8000 Google, Mozila secure feature on first page Launching Night 15 June  £5000 300 people attendance  £35,500 7 ACTION PLAN Action May June July Aug Improvement of website 07 Logo design align with TUI Travel 15 Link website into Sub- websites 20 Advert in magazines 27 Invite reps from news papers and mag 01 Launch night 15 Brochure delivery 10 Complimentary tours 01 First customer running tour 10 Measure of passengers on tours 10 Evaluation of results/correctives if needed 15 8 Evaluation of Results During this face of the project, the aim is to evaluate the overall performance of the tours operational and tactical side. TUI Travel subsidiaries websites (First Choice and Thompson) have the capability of allowing customers to publish live comments on their experience. A team will be assigned to evaluate and quantify the comments in order to assess the performance of tours, and implement correctives if necessary. 9 Conclusion Where TUI Travel to implement the above plan, it will improve further their policy of differentiation and facilitate customer choices at the time of browsing for a package holiday with London as a destination. The assumption is that the new business unit will be implemented as a pilot project to evaluate its feasibility and acceptance from customers in general, local and overseas travellers. TUI AG, continue to endorse its mission statement even in the light of lost of revenue in the case of natural disasters; like the one recently experience due to the Volcanic ash from Island which closed European airspace for over a week. TUI Travel PLC, announced on the 21st April that they were implementing their crisis plans, which included provision of welfare to customers in resorts and commencing the repatriation action as soon as possible. Their plan contemplate repatriation through coaches, ferries and owned cruises and according to their estimation all of its customers will be back in England by Friday 23rd April. Measures implemented as above, form milestone for brand recognition and undoubtedly give customer peace of mind, as they are confident that their travel company cares about them and will do whatever takes to ensure a safe return home. Individual Critical Reflection of Learning Outcomes During the course of the subject Marketing Management, I came to realise that marketing is a complex theme. The models and other techniques studied where made easy to understand by the tutor and the evaluation of it through practical examples facilitate the assimilation of the material. Personally I feel that the simulation done through the Marketing Game software was critical for the understanding in how marketing a product affects the whole of an organisation, and how the decisions made in terms of cost/investment can have both, positive or negative outcomes. Another skill that was put to the test relates to communication, as in some cases we were grouped in teams to solve/discuss material regarding the subject matter. Regarding the assignment I found it quite difficult to tackle as, first English is my second language and 2nd although I have presented written works before they were in my mother tongue and oriented to practical experiences rather than research itself. As a next step, I will work through future assignments with more time in order to share my queries with my tutor, as to ensure that I have understood the approach to be evaluated with the written work.