Does FIFA bring an economic upturn in countries hosting the world cup Research Paper

Does FIFA bring an economic upturn in countries hosting the world cup - Research Paper Example The transformation in these countries is commonly contributes by increase of tourists visiting the country, sufficient infrastructures, security as well as the boost of morale brought by the good feeling of hosting the World Cup (Crnelissen, 2014). Additionally, FIFA also generated billions during the World Cup, some of which the hosting country gets as tax revenue. For example, by the end of 2010 the organization had generated 4.189 billion dollars and addition 3.6 billion dollars from World cup not directly related to world Cup (FIFA, 2007). This explains the fierce competition in the bids for the opportunity to host the World Cup. Currently, even the developing countries are actively bidding for the chance. Could this be as a result of the economical development that has been recorded in the host countries before? This makes one wonder the worth of world Cup to the nation hosting it. The purpose of the study, therefore, is to identify whether the host country’s economy benefits from the World Cup. In this case, the research question can be phrased as follows â€Å"Does FIFA bring an economic upturn in countries hosting the world cup?† The answer to this question is outlined in this paper by concentrating on some of the most significant economic aspects that greatly contribute to the growth of a country (Andreff, 2012). The paper further relates these aspects to the World Cup and the impact it has on them. The paper is divided into three sections. The first one is a theoretical framework that outlines the definition of economical terminologies, concepts, the scope and criteria of study analysis. The second section is the methodology of presenting the study while the third section describes the findings of the study. In this section, the paper proposes four major economic indicators, which are used to determine the upturn or downturn of an economy. Further, FIFA’s impact on the economy will be defined from

How Dell Uses Effective Strategy to Gain Competitive Advantage Dissertation

How Dell Uses Effective Strategy to Gain Competitive Advantage - Dissertation Example Dell being among the primary sellers of computers is what has led to the question of what type of strategy is often utilized. Learning about the type of strategy being initiated by Dell is significant as it enables the reader to understand what it takes to be the best in the market. Therefore, the strategy that is being utilized by Dell Corporation is the direct sales approach. Dell Corporation direct sales approach is one of the most successful strategic innovations of the past that has generated positive results for the company. The firm was able to come up with a model that undercuts its competitors on price, forge closer links with its clients and offer shareholders a return several times as compared to the market price. Significantly, Dell’s direct sales model was initially singularly suited with the intention of maximizing the cash conversion cycle. The firm was able to carry little inventory in the process because it bought components on a just-in-time basis. The signif icance of the approach is customers often paid Dell Corporation more quickly than it paid suppliers, and, as a result, cash flow at Dell was positive. Furthermore, little inventory for Dell led to the reduction in component costs that could easily be passed rapidly to clients. The outcome of the process, therefore, led the firm to improve its competitive position in the market. Furthermore, the direct sales model made Dell an industry and shareholder’s sweetheart, a high-tech pioneer with seemingly limitless growth.

Role of Teacher Essay Example for Free

Role of Teacher Essay Teachers instill a want for learning within the student while formulating a structured path for the student to succeed. The role of a teacher is to stimulate this want to learn, while providing the necessary tools and guidance for the student. The classroom should be a learning environment that students are excited to participate in because the desire to learn is exemplified by the teacher. The best teachers I’ve had have instilled this desire to learn through a number of different skills working cohesively to help guide me through the educational process. These teachers had the greatest impact on me because they took my desire for learning personally, and did all they could to ensure the best possible learning environment. When learning is enjoyable, the likely hood of students continuing to learn independently of the teacher increases. Some of the skills that helped create this environment included patience, organization, awareness, encouragement, and an open mind. The best teacher I’ve ever had utilized all these skills, and I remember her from my freshman year of high school. I had ADHD as a teenager, and had trouble sitting still to say the least. My math teacher had the patience to work with me, while managing and guiding the rest of the students in the class. She developed a unique way to grasp my attention while other teachers could not, and her class ended up being the most exciting class in my high school career. Her awareness of my unique situation and having the patience and open mind to try teaching differently was what inspired my love of math. I received my highest grade that semester in her class because the desire to learn the subject came from within, but was exemplified by the teacher. She would not have been able to manage the entire classroom with this unique approach without organization and encouragement of each individual student. A few of these skills can make a good teacher, but a great teacher uses all of their s kills cohesively to create a positive interactive learning environment. The worst teacher I’ve experienced had a personal goal to be the hardest teacher on campus, rather than the greatest. Being a hard teacher doesn’t ensure a students success, and can deter the student from wanting to learn. A great teacher understands the needs of all their students, while working with their students to learn. When focusing on becoming the hardest teacher, unrealistic goals and expectations are set that can take away from the confidence of the student as well as the approachability of the teacher.  This creates a gap in the teacher – student relationship that can be detrimental to learning. While I learned a lot from a teacher who tried to be the hardest, they didn’t create a desire for me to learn. The class turned into a workbook, rather than a learning experience. While some subjects are naturally harder than others, I believe they an be approached uniquely and can be taught in a way that makes sense to any student given the right patience. This teacher was an exceptionally brilliant math professor, however – his class average was a failing grade which he was proud of. If the class average is failing, then he’s not teaching to the whole of the class or looking at the students individually. It’s possible to teach a hard subject in a way that the core ideas and theories can be grasped by al l the students and individually helped as necessary. It’s not one quality that sets a good teacher apart from another, but a number of qualities working together that create the right experience. When looking at the list in section 1.2, all of these are qualities of a good teacher. However, the number of qualities that make a great teacher is far too long to list. It’s instead, how well the teacher uses each of these qualities cohesively in and outside the classroom environment. These qualities include patience, approachability, confidence, awareness, and an open mind. These qualities are a complete necessity to the success in a teaching role.

Case study on observations of a child

Case study on observations of a child For confidentiality reason, I will refer to the child as A. Child A is a male, from a working class family, mixed heritage background: mum is Indian and dad is English. He is three years and two months old, a middle child with an older brother aged four and a nine months old sister. Parents are married and they all live together. The Tavistock Model of observation was used, as it helps social work student to reflect upon situations before intervening. A naturalistic observation was carried out in a co-educational private nursery; with a class size of 20 children ages between 3-4, and 3 teachers. To respect the rights of the carers and child As parent, consent was acquired. A target child observation was conducted for one hour a week over a six weeks period. To ensure the ecological validity and reduce demand characteristics an undisclosed non-participant observation was carried out. Observations provide a means of objective measurement of a wide range of behaviours as they occur in the natural environment. The use of direct observation allows for the description and evaluation of specific behaviours. Observational data have greater external or ecological validity. Behavioural observation can provide information about the purpose or cause of a given behaviour by evaluating its origin and consequent events that maintain the target behaviours. Structured Observation The most important skill needed for structured observation is an understanding of developmental theories and the effect environmental factors have on development. All aspects of observed behaviour according to Sheppard (2006) as citied in (Adams, Dominelli, Payne, 2009, p. 211), must be rigorously explained, analysed and contextualised. A structure observation has been defined as a detached rigorous approach adopted by researchers in a naturalistic controlled observation. This approach according to, produces an ecologically viable and reliable data free from a demand characteristics due to its scientific nature. Given the complexity of a scientific observation, and the constraints of time, only scientific aspect of behaviour is observed. Objective- that is free from personal feelings or thoughts for example my previous experiences, attitude and values. In conducting the observation, I strive to avoid jumping into conclusion; making generalisation; expressing personal opinions; and labelling. Listening skills- both verbal and non-verbal communication. Direct observation of non-verbal behaviour adds information about emotional states. Social workers need to be attentive to non-verbal cues e.g. tone of voice and link behaviour with emotions that might have caused it. Retaining the role of the observer- this was done by avoiding initiating or responding to the children. Avoid premature interpretation, without seeking to understand the context in which behaviour occurred. Accurate recording in a factual and chronological manner. This was especially helpful when relating observed behaviours to psychological theories. Recording as soon as possible as this affects how much I was able recall and the language used to code behaviour and experiences was also important for understanding my material. From a social work perspective, in order to gain useful information and reliable interpretation, a reflective approach has been used. Allows control of extraneous variables. Reliability of results can be tested by repeating the study. Provides a safe environment to study contentious concepts such as infant attachment. The implementation of controls may have an effect on behaviour. Lack of ecological validity. Observer effect. Observer bias. Key psychology theories Developmental psychology is concerned with understanding the interaction between individuals and their environment, and the impact this has on their long-term development. Crawford and Walker (2003, p18) as citied in (Ingleby 2010, 74), highlighted the impact biological and sociological perspective has on child development. Social workers work in a complex society dealing with individuals, family and communities. For social workers to be effective practitioner, the ability of relating theories to practice must not be underestimated. In the child development, the nature vs. nurture debate is vital, if the extent to which environmental and/or heredity factors that affects child development is to be established. Nature looks at the impact of heredity factors whiles nurture concentrates on the environmental factors on the development of a child. Psychodynamic theory focuses on the nature side of the debate. Nature influences the societal norms especially in the classification of milestone development. This is evidence in the classification used by psychologist such as Freud in his classification of psychosocial stages of development. According to Gesell, through maturation, the sequence of later development is determined. He used this term to describe, Genetically programed sequential patterns of change (H Bee and D Boyd, 2010, p. 5). The psychodynamic theory is based on the assumption that development is in stages and maturation is based on the inner conflicts and environmental demands. According to Freud, the language and thought development can be accounted for by the egocentric nature of a child. He divided his theory into psychosexual stages; the libido was seen as the most sensitive part at that stage. The observed child was fascinated about his toilet habit: this stage of development according to Freud was referred to as the anal stage as the libidinal energy is focused there. The observed displayed the anal stage with little or no signs of the previous stage, which according to Freud is known the oral stage. For Freud, a stage cannot be completed if the childs need were not sufficiently met. Erikson like Freud is a psychoanalyst; he believes that development is through stages and that the successful interaction between the child and the environment accounts for the development. He unlike Freud believes the environmental demands accounts for more in comparison to maturation. The observed child display a secure relationship toward his mother based on trust. This according to Freud can be accounted for by the effective bonding with his mother during the critical period. Erickson stages of development Ego Development Outcome: Autonomy vs. Shame Basic Strengths: Self-control, Courage, and Will During this stage children learn to master skills for themselves. They have the opportunity to build self-esteem and autonomy as they gain more control over their bodies and acquire new skills, learning right from wrong. It is also during this stage, however, that they can be vulnerable. If they are shamed in the process of learning important skills, they may feel great shame and doubt of their capabilities and suffer low self-esteem as a result. The relationship between the child and carer is critical for emotional well-being. By responded in a loving way, the carer helps to build As self-esteem. He felt secure and ready to explore more through play and interacted well with both peers and carers. Erickson Expanded on Freuds theories, he believed that development is life-long. He emphasized that at each stage, the child acquires attitudes and skills resulting from the successful negotiation of the psychological conflict. Basic trust vs. mistrust (birth 1 year) Autonomy vs. shame and doubt (ages 1-3) Initiative vs. guilt (ages 3-6) For secure attachment to be formed, according to Freud, the childs gratifications should have been sufficiently satisfied (Gross, 2010, p. 495). Whilst carrying out this observation, child A was involved in solitary play. I noticed that A was very imaginative in his play and engaged in private speech, as he used pieces of Lego to make a train track. According to Piagets Stages of Cognitive Development, A should be in the pre-occupational where symbolism is used. By about 2 years of age a child can let one object stands for (or symbolise) something else. During play, A would get upset if the Lego were not held in place. A did not act out his frustration as appropriate attention and recognition was given by the carer. A responded happily, smiled and said thank you. Child A was dropped off at nursery at 8.00 by his mother along with his older brother. He was very happy on arrival; he knew were to hang his coat and bag. His mum praised him and gave him a hug. A has therefore been conditioned by his mum as he associate getting a kiss and hug from mum, with hanging his coat and bag. BEHAVIOURISM-This behaviour can be linked to the work of Skinner known as OPERANT CONDITIONING, this refers to the link that exist between positively affirming behaviour that reinforces a particular stimulus Ingleby (2009). He showed his mother and brother his friends and identified then by name. However there was a change in behaviour when he entered his class, he was very quiet asked his mother to stay. However, when his mother explained that she had to leave he started crying. His mother assured him and with a hug and a kiss said goodbye. His carer was then able to comfort him. After about 5 minutes he was settled and assisted himself to breakfast. According to Bowlby and Ainsworth on attachment theory child A would be described as been securely attached. He exhibited distress when mother dropped him off, but because he has formed an attachment to the carer as well, she was able to comfort him. He felt secure and able to depend on the carer this is because A knows that she will provide comfort and reassurance, in times of need. The observed child display a secure relationship toward his mother based on trust. This according to Freud can be accounted for by the effective bonding with his mother during the critical period. Secure Attachment-The carer was also seen as another attachment figure because of the behaviour, responsiveness and sensitivity of the carer. This was also demonstrated through play as the carer did not intrude but take the lead of the child and assisted when the appropriate. He independently buttered his bread and poured some milk. After breakfast, he informed his carer in a cheerful tone that he had finished his food. The carer replied saying good boy. He smiled and started putting away his cutleries and instructed a group of 3 boys and 2 girls to help tidy up. This observed behaviour has linked to: Lev Vygotskys Sociocultural Theory Childrens cognitive development is heavily influenced by social and cultural factors. Childrens thinking develops through dialogues with more capable people Zone of Proximal Development: child A needed guidance during play by the skilled carer who acted as a scaffolding: by providing temporary support. Adults help children learn how to think by scaffolding, or supporting, their attempts to solve a problem or to discover principles. Scaffolding must be responsive to a childs needs On the nurture side of the debate, is behavioural theories, child development is influenced by environmental factors and the unconscious they believe is of little importance. According to Watson 1913 as cited by (H Bee and D Boyd, 2010), nurture plays an important part through the manipulation of environmental factors. This was demonstrated in his research on Little Albert and the effect of classical conditioning. The focus of the behavioural approach is on how the environment influences overt behaviour. According to behaviourist, an individual is a clean slate and the environmental factors are the chalk and the individual holding the chalk: what is written on the slate is decided by the individual holding the chalk (Ingleby, 2010, p. 5). An individual identity is therefore shaped by the interaction between the individual and the environment; this is a theory that can be associated with psychologist such as Skinner, Watson and Pavlov. Nature and nurture interaction is complex and both cannot independently shape a childs development. Rultter A, as cited in that nature should be considered by examining the vulnerability and protective factors effects on child development. Stages of human development and there relevance to social work Developmental psychology is concerned with understanding the interaction between individuals and their environment, and the impact this has on their long-term development. Crawford and Walker (2003, p18) as citied in (Ingleby, 2010, p. 74), highlighted the impact biological and sociological perspective has on child development. It is difficult to determine specific times when developmental changes occur, as they differ from person to person. The importance of observing children It gives a true and accurate account of the stages of development It aids our understanding of child development It provides evidence on our knowledge of what influences may affect development A clear understanding of the value and theories of play Observation helps us to fill in the gap between theory and practice. Fawcett (1996) describes the purpose of a child observation as: to develop professional competence in work with children and familiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦observation should help you understand children and their range of behaviour better, to reassess your own preconceptions on the subject (Fawcett 1996, cited in The Frame work for Assessment of children in needà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) objective An increased sensitivity to children and a heightened awareness of the unique qualities of childhood A greater knowledge of how Child A thinks, feels, view the world, and how this compares to developmental norms A picture of child A, based on conditions that changes as new information added over time (Feeney, 2001, p.107-112 When interpreting the result of my observation, I was aware of my own assumptions about childrens behaviour based on my knowledge and experience (i.e. child development, socio-cultural influences, individual experience, etc.) The different perspectives that can contribute to a better understanding of the childs behaviour. I also learn to reflect on my feelings without distorting the observation. I also learn to recognise the childs position in his family and nursery, as well the wider social context and appreciate the diversity of these networks. REFLECTION At the start of the observation I felt anxious and concentrated on trying to relate psychological theories to observed behaviour. However, with time I became less anxious about the process and I was beginning to feel relax in my role as an observer. I felt happy at how responsive the carers were to the needs of the child especially during separation with parent and play. Following the death of Baby P, Laming (2009) recommended a full remodelling of social work training: good observation analytic skills; development of emotional resilience; reflection on and analysis of what is observed. Reflection according to Ruch (2000) supports insight into: how personal background affects learning and practice; the unavoidable impact of the emotional content of the interactions between social worker and client; the experiences of the client enables holistic approach to self and practice by integrating thinking and feeling On examining attachment I believe it is important to examine how emotionally expressive the culture in question is only then can we build a true picture of the attachment of the child based on an anti-discriminatory theory base. This experience has been invaluable as it contributes toward my personal development as it has enhanced my reflective and self-aware use of self which necessary for personal development and use of the professional self. As started by Mandell (2008 p. 244) Social workers bring to their profession not only their skills and knowledge but also their emotional history, values, commitment to social justice, biases, attitudes, anxieties, self-concept, protective instincts, cultural background and social identity During the observation and when relating observed behaviours to psychological theories I was petrified of mirroring my own early experiences and the influence this may have on my behaviour and responses to the observed behaviour. Closely observing a child over time has given me insight knowledge of theorising. I was able to integrate theory with practice and an understanding of the variety and range of factors that have an impact upon childrens development and performance. The understanding of self, self-awareness and been reflective in practice and learning and acknowledging how my personal background may affect my learning and practice; Understanding the unavoidable impact of the emotional content of the interactions between social worker and service users; for example during the observation I felt isolated, confused, happy, anxious and frustrated at times. This experience also helps me develop and understand the importance of maintaining professional boundaries for example maintaining the role of an observer; and integrity in initiating the contact between the nursery and the parent of the child observed by been honest about my intention and maintaining confidentiality. On the issue of seeking the consent of the child, I faced no dilemmas as the child was unable to give informed consent.

A Room with a Japanese View :: Haircuts Culture Personal Narrative Papers

A Room with a Japanese View It's the wee hours of Saturday morning in a quiet all female low-rise dorm room at NDSU. Residents are either sleeping soundly or out having a good time some place off campus. But in one dorm room a social gathering is in full swing. I'm not talking about a swing dance either. As I walk down my motel-looking dorm hallway, I hear a male's voice with a sharp and harsh intonation. I pause in front of the door for a second, my curiosity piqued. There is silence for a moment and then I hear the voice again and I realize it's not English, but Japanese. I proceed down the hall, shuffling in my slippers, not wanting to be an eavesdropper. On my return I hear a loud electric razor coming from the same room. Again I pause in front of the wooden door, brightly decorated with two nametags, Yoko and Michelle, made by the creative RAs of our dorm (All names are pseudonyms). What's going on in there, I wonder. I see Yoko weekly at the International Student Association meeting, but only k now that she's from Japan and is here to learn English. I knock at the door, still hearing the razor and voices in the background. The door pops open and I'm greeted by a petite Japanese girl with dyed brown hair. It’s Yoko. She invites me in and I see the pile of different sized shoes near the door. My Hong Kong etiquette that I learned when I lived overseas with my family comes back to me and I promptly take off my shoes. To my left I see Kiyo, a tall Japanese guy with spiky hair, standing behind Watashi, who is quietly sitting down with a black garbage bag covering his upper body. There are garbage bags covering the floor around them and short pieces of black hair decorate the dark plastic. The haircutter and haircutee don’t say much to me. Watashi just says â€Å"hi† when I come in the door and then looks down to prevent getting freshly clipped hair in his brown eyes. Yoko walks towards them and checks out the progress. Cutting hair in the dorms is something one doesn’t see often. I don’t think most guys cut their hair in the dorms like this.

True Happiness in The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut and Hans Weingar

True Happiness in The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut and Hans Weingartner's The Eduakators A large parcel of the population has as their ultimate goal in life achieving well-being. Unfortunately many try to achieve it through the wrong means. For instance, in The Sirens of Titan, by Kurt Vonnegut, Malachi Constant thinks he is truly happy, but what he really does is fulfill his hedonism, satisfy his shallow needs, without truly searching for a higher form of well-being. Not only does a life focused on hedonic satisfaction not achieve true happiness, it also leads, along with the urge to accumulate, egocentrism, and greed, to an unethical life. The Sirens of Titans depicts this kind of life, which is also represented throughout The Edukators, directed by Hans Weingartner. Both Malachi Constant and Hardenberg believe that money is the solution to all of their problems while ignoring the problems their own lifestyle is causing to other people and society as a whole. Happiness, our own and other people’s, is achieved by focusing our lives in the right things. Even though hedonic satisfaction is necessary for living a happy life, focusing only on hedonic pleasure will have the opposite effect. If you focus on money and the things it can buy as the source for your well-being, you are excluding a series of factors that are necessary to achieve a true state of well-being. The following passage from the article â€Å"On Happiness and Human Potentials: A Review of Research on Hedonic and Eudaimonic Well-Being† clearly details that: Drawing from the eudaimonic view and from SDT, Kasser & Ryan (1993, 1996) related money and materialism to well-being. They predicted that people who place a strong value on wealth... ...se’s life. The only way humanity can achieve true well-being is if abdicates its urge to accumulate and refocus its mostly hedonic ways to a more eudaimonic way of life. Works Cited The Edukators. Dir. Hans Weingartner. IFC Films, 2004. Mill, John Stuart. Utilitarianism. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1979. Nenno, Nancy P. â€Å"Postcards from the Edge.† Light Motives: German Popular Film in Perspective. Eds. Halle, Randall and McCarthy, Margaret. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2003. 61-84. Reed, Peter J. "Kurt Vonnegut, Jr." Dictionary of Literary Biography. ed. 1978. Ryan, Richard M., and Edward L. Deci. "On Happiness and Human Potentials: A Review of Research on Hedonic and Eudamonic Well-Being." Annual Review of Psychology 52 (2001): 141-166. Vonnegut, Kurt. The Sirens of Titan. New York: Dell Publishing, 1998.

British Airways Marketing Report Essay

Current share price is 225 with a range of between 224 and 289. Marketing is ‘the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably. ’ BA used to operate in an oligopoly market however throughout the last century this has changed. Previously it was only large national companies that had enough money to provide flights however nowadays the market operates in perfect competition with high barriers to entry. BA can use marketing to promote their product, drive market share, anticipate customer requirements, satisfy customer needs and ultimately make a profit. The Marketing Mix The marketing mix is a combination of 4 P’s (product, price, place and promotion) that should be used in conjunction with each other to ensure a competitive edge over other companies. ‘The marketing mix is designed to produce mutually satisfying exchanges with a target market’. Product BA’s product in essence relates to the flights offered. However, the product can be drilled down into specific areas ranging from the airport lounges around the world, the ‘extras’ that you can buy on board such as model BA aeroplanes or even package holidays. Each of these has been specifically tailored to meet customer expectations (which are highlighted in the section of the report titled ‘target market’). This part of the marketing mix focuses on how BA’s products are managed and in the Guardian case study article titled ‘BA, Iberia and American Airlines tie-up heralds new era of transatlantic travel’ dated 06/10/2010 it shows how BA have made an executive decision to link their websites with other companies to have the possibility to offer a higher number of routes (products) to their potential customers. Price Price is simply ‘the amount of money customers must pay to obtain a product’. BA’s price is generally higher than their competitors although this is because they believe they are offering higher quality. However, in recent times BA appear to be losing the price war against low cost budget competitors such as Ryanair and Easyjet. Following this, BA have undergone marketing strategies to reduce their price and carry out ‘sale discounted’ periods. BA demand immediate payment for their products, do not give credit terms or allowances. Promotion In the early days when BA was a nationalised company and the market was an oligopoly, they didn’t have to promote as much, as competition was minimal. However, with the growth of new players in the market BA have resulted to advertising in the following areas: tube stations (especially the Jubilee Line going towards Canary Wharf to target higher earners), newspapers (such as the Financial Times and Sunday broadsheets), airports (mainly in Heathrow and Gatwick – their primary hubs) and adverts between TV programmes, starting from September 2009 – such as the News, Politics programmes and factual documentaries. BA also use personal advertising techniques with their advert: ‘Come together it’s Christmas’. This uses emotional targeting to encourage people to buy their product to visit loved ones during this period. See Appendix 2. Place Currently BA do not operate from London Stanstead however a marketing decision could be taken to include this to their portfolio. This would give them a higher percentage of UK airport utilisation however a cost benefit analysis could prove this move to be not so advantageous. BA have recently ‘taken on’ Easyjet and are now offering a Gatwick-Marrakech route at discount prices. This gives customers higher choice and allows BA to remain competitive and attempt at satisfying the needs of those who want to pay less. Once BA have exhausted the 4 P’s, a S. W. O. T. Analysis will be completed to determine and examine internal strengths and weaknesses and, external opportunities and threats. S. W. O. T. Analysis Strengths The case study website article on ‘This is Money’ dated 24/01/2011 undoubtedly highlights one of the major strengths carrying BA at present. The merger between BA and Iberia has strengthened its financial position and is a step closer to ‘creating a multinational multi-brand airlines group’. BA take pride in their strong brand, high quality service and offer prestigious first class airport lounges to ensure that their customers are taken care of to the standard they expect for the prices they are paying. This is what has allowed BA to charge higher fares and gives them the image that higher class passengers are willing to pay for. By linking themselves to fellow competitors (American Airlines) and strengthening their position by joining the One World syndicate, BA have encouraged higher revenues from this tactical decision. Following the strong decline throughout the global recession, BA’s strength is ‘bouncing back’ according to the BBC News Article ‘British Airways in first profit for two years’. Although the rise in incomes and ultimately rise in profits was linked to higher cargo fares, BA were able to successfully cut costs and meet their carbon emissions targets also. Weaknesses Despite the above, BA has been renowned for strong continual losses as highlighted in the other BBC News Article ‘British Airways reports ? 164m loss’. The losses were mainly caused by the volcanic ash cloud and staff strikes both resulting in the cancellation of thousands of flights. It’s reported that just ’15 days strikes†¦ had cost the airline ? 142m’. The strikes had also had a negative impact on their declining reputation making some people not wanting to fly with them anymore. BA’s reputation was also hit when they were sued ? 10K by competitor Virgin for accessing their private files and consequently trying to poach business. If this wasn’t bad enough, in 2009 BA were fined a massive ? 110m for price fixing – known as a ‘cartel’ and this is illegal. Although passengers accept that flight travel can be dangerous, BA adds to its weakness with its own incidents. These range from a mid-air collisi on in 1976, a pilot being sucked out of the aircraft when a windscreen exploded and in 2008 a BA plane at Heathrow missed the runway and crash-landed. More recently, BA has been investigating prices of flights to some destinations that were being charged at 10 times the normal price owing to a ‘system error’ online. This is going to make people think twice when booking with the company. Opportunities While the above 2 sections focus internally, opportunities and threats highlight those factors that can influence BA externally. The lifting of the recession in recent months has allowed passengers to review their spending habits and hopefully create higher disposable income in households and allow the ‘loosening of the belt’ for those corporate company credit cards. BA need to carefully position their marketing strategies at the right time in order to capture these people with that bit of extra money to spend and the report will focus on this issue in the following few pages. BA sold its Gatwick hub airport for ? 1. 5bn, although this was reportedly at a loss (as BA originally paid ? 10. 1bn for it 3 years prior), it gave BA the opportunity to invest its interests elsewhere and concentrate on a smaller number of airports. BA also sold its interest in the London Eye – now sponsored by EDF, to focus on other projects. Threats BA has been hit by threats in recent years ranging from terrorism, bad weather, volcanoes and more recently the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the civil unrest in Libya. Numerous flights have been cancelled to the Libyan capital Tripoli costing BA millions of pounds. Following this, BA has been forced to cancel their entire summer 2011 season of flight programmes. The events in Japan have also affected BA’s programmes with flights to Tokyo disrupted. The case studies provided highlight how BA ‘went into meltdown’ following the heavy snow suffered in the UK during December 2010. The conditions caused hundreds of flights to be cancelled for both cargo and passengers and the title of the article ‘British Airways says bad weather could cost it ? 50m’ sums up the situation perfectly. The terrorist events in the USA in 2001 still continue to make passengers nervous of flying, especially Trans-Atlantic and this is always going to be a sensitive subject that BA would find hard to market against. By doing so, they would not want to seem like they are publicising terrorism but at the same time have concentrated their marketing strategies on the highest standard of comfort and ‘relaxability’. A final threat is shown in an article by the Telegraph where BA is ‘attacked’ by a social media Facebook campaign where Gatwick workers have criticised BA’s Terminal 5 at Heathrow calling it ‘shambolic’ and the page was even designed with videos showing the CEO of BA wrestling with baggage and trolleys. This damages BA’s reputation and makes a mockery of their brand. All of the factors mentioned above in the marketing mix and S. W. O. T. Analysis are important for BA to consider however if the company does not have a target market to aim their products at, the company would not be able to survive. British Airways Target Market and Positioning Strategy In order to ensure BA’s products are directed at the correct audience to maximise revenues and profits, careful market research needs to be invested in to find a target market. ‘The basis of target marketing is market segmentation’; which splits the market into groups of potential customers that have the same characteristics. From the 3 marketing strategies, it’s believed that BA use a ‘differentiated strategy’ as they focus on several specific areas of the market to target. The characteristics below offer ome possibilities that link all of BA’s customers together. Watch the News on television Celebrities Speak a 2nd language Middle/Upper Class Holiday in non-European destinations Read non-fiction In full time employment or retired Have higher disposable incomes By segmenting the customer base to determine a ‘target market’ BA split the market depending on the following variables: * Demographic – age, gender * Geographic – where the target is based * Geo-demographic – size of households, number of cars etc.. depending on location * Psychographic – lifestyle, attitudes Behavioural – the relationship between the target market and the product As the points show in the circle above, BA focus their marketing strategies on those that have higher income and appear in the middle/upper classes of the population, this is evident from the prices of their products and the quality of the service offered. Both genders are targeted equally with the age range (generally) being between 35 to 65. The BA advertising strategies are positioned to target those situations that their customers can relate to and dream about – i. . luxury holidays, comfortable flights and a reliable service. This concentrates on the behavioural variable. Geographically, as BA is a British company, the target market is centralised in the UK however following partnerships with fellow companies such as American Airlines for example, a wider global base is reached. BA have positioned their product away from their low cost budget competitors acknowledging that they offer a more luxurious alternative to cheap travel. Their positioning strategy can lso be seen in the ‘product class membership’ which again, separates BA’s service away from the Easyjets and Ryanairs. By doing this, BA have created their own competitive advantage and have taken an alternative route to satisfy other customers needs that are not centered around saving money. Marketing Recommendations In order for BA to evaluate how successful their target market strategies and their positioning tactics are, the report recommends that the company should see how many levels of ‘Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs’ are being satisfied from a purchase of a BA flight. This can be seen in Appendix 3. Psychological needs: SATISIFIED: shelter from the cold, provision of food and oxygen * Safety needs: SATISIFIED: provision of a safe environment and reassuring customers * Belongingness and love needs: N/A * Esteem needs: N/A * Self-actualization needs: Possibly relevant to those who are over-coming their fear of flying. Secondly, BA could conduct marketing research to determine ‘why’ customers buy their products in the first place. This could be conducted as a quick questionnaire either in-flight when the customers are all in one place at the same time or as a mandatory set of questions when booking flights. This will help BA to see what criteria are satisfied during the stage of the ‘buyer decision process’. There are 3 possibilities however the report recommends that BA would come across the most popular varible below: * Routine Response Behaviour: Customers who are frequent flyers, possibly members of the Executive Club, they are aware of the low cost competition however have a loyalty towards BA and favour their service. Appendix 4 shows where the report deems BA’s product to currently be in the market. By carrying out the market research above and with the new strong group behind the company, the brand could move backwards in the graph and back and return to the growth stage. This can also be said of Appendix 5, by moving BA from a question mark in the Boston Matrix and positioning it in the ‘star’ category. The report recommends BA to further extend their marketing strategy to concentrate on ‘holidays’ and not just flights. This links closely with an interview carried out by ‘Marketing Week’ and BA’s Head of Marketing, Richard Tams. ‘We are devoting more and more of our reativity in any given campaign to talking about holidays’. BA should extend this further and working with tourist boards of exotic countries to promote cheaper package holidays with the support of the Government in those ‘further to reach’ luxurious locations. Tams states ‘we are looking to move BA. com to much more into the space of a t ravel website rather than a flights website’. The report strongly agrees with this marketing strategy and would fully support BA’s proposals. This widens their product mix and allows a larger more diverse target market to be captured. Conclusion The report has analysed the company British Airways firstly concentrating on the product mix and a S. W. O. T analysis. The report has described the company’s target audience and commented on the current positioning strategy of British Airways. The report has concluded with marketing recommendations that could be put in place to ensure the long time success of the company. Future events that British Airways will have to be aware of include the UK Government adjusting passenger air tax and carbon emission regulations. 2,682 words. Bibliography All referenced throughout. Books Jobber, D. 2001 4th edition ‘Principals and Practices of Marketing’, McGraw Hill International, P 810 * Kotler, P. 2010 9th edition ‘Principals of Marketing’, Pearson * Lamb, C. 2009 6th edition ‘Essentials of Marketing’, Neil Marquardt * The Chartered Institute of Marketing, LSBU lecture notes Websites All accessed between 24/03/2011 and 30/04/2011 * www. bbc. co. uk /news * www. dailymail. co. uk/travel/article-1369100/Libya-action-hits-British-Airways-flights. html * www. guardian. co. uk * www. google. co. uk/finance? q=PINK%3ABAIRY * www. iagshares. com www. letsstartthinking. org/quickreference/maslow-need-hierarchy. asp * www. marketingweek. co. uk/sectors/travel-and-leisure/airlines/qa-with-ba-marketing-head-richard-tams/3019560. article * www. news. airwise. com/story/view/1300492770. html * www. news. cheapflights. co. uk/†¦ /ba-takes-on-easyjet-on-gatwick-marrakech-route * http://phx. corporate-ir. net/External. File? item=UGFyZW50SUQ9ODMyOTJ8Q2hpbGRJRD0tMXxUeXBlPTM=&t=1 * www. telegraph. co. uk/travel/3366187/British-Airways-staff-attack-passengers-on-Facebook. html * www. thisislondon. co. k/standard/article-23431527-london-eye-looks-for-new-sponsor-as-ba-pulls-out. do * www. thisismoney. co. uk * http://uk. reuters. com/article/2009/10/21/uk-baa-idUKTRE59K1D820091021 * www. utalkmarketing. com/UTMImages/2/BA_terminal5_2. jp g Appendices 1. ) Group structure of IAG 2. ) BA advert 3. ) Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs 4. ) Product Life Cycle 5. ) Boston Matrix ——————————————– [ 1 ]. www. iagshares. com [ 2 ]. http://www. google. co. uk/finance? q=PINK%3ABAIRY [ 3 ]. Lamb, C, 2009 ‘Essentials of Marketing’ 6th edition. Neil Marquardt,