A Research Proposal to Counter the Implications of Sustained Global Warming

Global warming is one of the most serious challenges facing the world today.Defined as â€Å"an increase in the average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere, especially a sustained increase sufficient to cause climate change,† it poses a significant risk to the overall climatic condition and the world population in general. Substantial scientific evidence proves that a marked rise in the global average temperatures by more than 2 °C above pre-industrial levels poses a significant threat to natural ecosystems.A sustained temperate increase of this magnitude may cause a considerable melting of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, resulting in a distinct global sea level rise of up to several feet. Scientists fear that such climate change is hazardous to many life forms and predict that this could potentially cause entire species to be wiped out.Consequences of Global WarmingSeveral studies, not just in the recent times attest to this fact. It is projected that tempe rature rises if allowed to continue may many species stranded and unable to adapt to the swiftly changing conditions. It has been indicated that the coral reefs are prone to bleach and may be destroyed in circumstances of persistent warming.Other climatic changes of global warming include frequent storms and dangerous hurricanes, and unexpected or sudden variations in the weather including deadly heat waves, drought and wildfire.Several anomalies are known to develop that impact tropical precipitation under global warming. It has been shown that a significant fall in moisture levels is induced by the warmer tropospheric temperature and therefore precipitation is decreased. The variation in the gross moist stability is a potential factor that causes discrepancies in the predicted regional tropical precipitation (Chou, & Neelin, 2004).Statistical Evidence and AnalysisWhen the Kyoto Protocol came into force in 2005 Greenpeace, the attempt was lauded as a positive sign of environmental sensitization. There was now a price to be paid for causing climate pollution – penalties for polluters. The dreams of a ‘low-carbon economy had been born.Two years later, however, projections show that the European Union has fallen woefully short of its targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, from the committed 8 per cent cut from the 1990 levels by year 2012. Estimating based on current measures and policies by 2010 the emissions will fall by a mere 0.6% below 1990 levels (Clogherty 2007).Several studies indicate that the concentration of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere at or below 450 parts per million CO2-equivalent would halve the chances of a global temperature rise above a 2 °C average.

Modern Drama Essay

Restoration literature Restoration literature is the English literature written during the historical period commonly referred to as the English Restoration (1660–1689), which corresponds to the last years of the direct Stuart reign in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. In general, the term is used to denote roughly homogeneous styles of literature that center on a celebration of or reaction to the restored court of Charles II. It is a literature that includes extremes, for it encompasses both Paradise Lost and the Earl of Rochester’s Sodom, the high-spirited sexual comedy of The Country Wife and the moral wisdom of The Pilgrim’s Progress. It saw Locke’s Treatises of Government, the founding of the Royal Society, the experiments and holy meditations of Robert Boyle, the hysterical attacks on theaters from Jeremy Collier, and the pioneering of literary criticism from John Dryden and John Dennis. The period witnessed news become a commodity, the essay developed into a periodic al art form, and the beginnings of textual criticism. The dates for Restoration literature are a matter of convention, and they differ markedly from genre to genre. Thus, the â€Å"Restoration† in dramamay last until 1700, while in poetry it may last only until 1666 (see 1666 in poetry) and the annus mirabilis; and in prose it might end in 1688, with the increasing tensions over succession and the corresponding rise in journalism and periodicals, or not until 1700, when those periodicals grew more stabilized. In general, scholars use the term â€Å"Restoration† to denote the literature that began and flourished under Charles II, whether that literature was the laudatory ode that gained a new life with restored aristocracy, the eschatological literature that showed an increasing despair among Puritans, or the literature of rapid communication and trade that followed in the wake of England’s mercantile empire. Theatre The return of the stage-struck Charles II to power in 1660 was a major event in English theatre history. As soon as the previous Puritan regime’s ban on public stage representations was lifted, the drama recreated itself quickly and abundantly. Two theatre companies, the King’s and the Duke’s Company, were established in London, with two luxurious playhouses built to designs by Christopher Wren and fitted with moveable scenery and thunder and lightning machines.[10] Traditionally, Restoration plays have been studied by genre rather than chronology, more or less as if they were all contemporary, but scholars today insist on the rapid evolvement of drama in the period and on the importance of social and political factors affecting it. (Unless otherwise indicated, the account below is based on Hume’s influential Development of English Drama in the Late Seventeenth Century, 1976.) The influence of theatre company competition and playhouse economics is also acknowledged, as is the significance of the appearance of the first professional actresses (see Howe). In the 1660s and 1670s, the London scene was vitalised by the competition between the two patent companies. The need to rise to the challenges of the other house made playwrights and managers extremely responsive to public taste, and theatrical fashions fluctuated almost week by week. The mid-1670s were a high point of both quantity and quality, with John Dryden’s Aureng-zebe (1675), William Wycherley’s The Country Wife (1675) and The Plain Dealer(1676), George Etherege’s The Man of Mode (1676), and Aphra Behn’s The Rover (1677), all within a few seasons. From 1682 the production of new plays dropped sharply, affected both by a merger between the two companies and by the political turmoil of the Popish Plot (1678) and the Exclusion crisis (1682). The 1680s were especially lean years for comedy, the only exception being the remarkable career of Aphra Behn, whose achievement as the first professional British woman dramatist has been the subject of much recent study. There was a swing away from comedy to serious political drama, reflecting preoccupations and divisions following on the political crisis. The few comedies produced also tended to be political in focus, the whig dramatist Thomas Shadwell sparring with the tories John Dryden and Aphra Behn. In the calmer times after 1688, Londoners were again ready to be amused by stage performance, but the single â€Å"United Company† was not well prepared to offer it. No longer powered by competition, the company had lost momentum and been taken over by predatory investors (â€Å"Adv enturers†), while management in the form of the autocratic Christopher Rich attempted to finance a tangle of â€Å"farmed† shares and sleeping partners by slashing actors’ salaries. The upshot of this mismanagement was that the disgruntled actors set up their own co-operative company in 1695.[11]A few years of re-invigorated two-company competition followed which allowed a brief second flowering of the drama, especially comedy. Comedies like William Congreve’s Love For Love (1695) and The Way of the World (1700), and John Vanbrugh’s The Relapse (1696) and The Provoked Wife (1697) were â€Å"softer† and more middle class in ethos, very different from the aristocratic extravaganza twenty years earlier, and aimed at a wider audience. If â€Å"Restoration literature† is the literature that reflects and reflects upon the court of Charles II, Restoration drama arguably ends before Charles II’s death, as the playhouse moved rapidly from the domain of courtiers to the domain of the city middle classes. On the other hand, Restoration drama shows altogether more fluidity and rapidity than other types of literature, and so, even more than in other types of literature, its movements should never be viewed as absolute. Each decade has brilliant exceptions to every rule and entirely forgettable confirmations of it. [edit]Drama Main article: Heroic drama See also: She-tragedy Genre in Restoration drama is peculiar. Authors labelled their works according to the old tags, â€Å"comedy† and â€Å"drama† and, especially, â€Å"history†, but these plays defied the old categories. From 1660 onwards, new dramatic genres arose, mutated, and intermixed very rapidly. In tragedy, the leading style in the early Restoration period was the male-dominated heroic drama, exemplified by John Dryden’s The Conquest of Granada (1670) and Aureng-Zebe (1675) which celebrated powerful, aggressively masculine heroes and their pursuit of glory both as rulers and conquerors, and as lovers. These plays were sometimes called by their authors’ histories or tragedies, and contemporary critics will call them after Dryden’s term of â€Å"Heroic drama†. Heroic dramas centred on the actions of men of decisive natures, men whose physical and (sometimes) intellectual qualities made them natural leaders. In one sense, this was a reflection of a n idealised king such as Charles or Charles’s courtiers might have imagined. However, such dashing heroes were also seen by the audiences as occasionally standing in for noble rebels who would redress injustice with the sword. The plays were, however, tragic in the strictest definition, even though they were not necessarily sad. In the 1670s and 1680s, a gradual shift occurred from heroic to pathetic tragedy, where the focus was on love and domestic concerns, even though the main characters might often be public figures. After the phenomenal success of Elizabeth Barry in moving the audience to tears in the role of Monimia in Thomas Otway’s The Orphan (1680), â€Å"she-tragedies† (a term coined by Nicholas Rowe), which focused on the sufferings of an innocent and virtuous woman, became the dominant form of pathetic tragedy. Elizabeth Howe has argued that the most important explanation for the shift in taste was the emergence of tragic actresses whose popularity made it unavoidable for dramatists to create major roles for them. With the conjunction of the playwright â€Å"master of pathos† Thomas Otway and the great tragedienne Elizabeth Barry in The Orphan, the focus shifted from hero to heroine. Prominent she-tragedies include John Banks’s Virtue Betrayed, or, Anna Bullen(1682) (about the execution of Anne Boleyn), Thomas Southerne’s The Fatal Marriage (1694), and Nicholas Rowe’s The Fair Penitent (1703) and Lady Jane Grey, 1715. While she-tragedies were more comfortably tragic, in that they showed women who suffered for no fault of their own and featured tragic flaws that were emotional rather than moral or intellectual, their success did not mean that more overtly political tragedy was not staged. The Exclusion crisis brought with it a number of tragic implications in real politics, and therefore any treatment of, for example, the Earl of Essex (several versions of which were circulated and briefly acted at non-patent theatres) could be read as seditious. Thomas Otway’s Venice Preserv’d of 1682 was a royalist political play that, like Dryden’s Absalom and Achitophel, seemed to praise the king for his actions in the meal tub plot. Otway’s play had the floating city of Venice stand in for the river town ofLondon, and it had the dark senatorial plotters of the play stand in for the Earl of Shaftesbury. It even managed to figure in the Duke of Monmouth, Charles’s illegitimate, war-hero son who was favoured by many as Charles’s successor over the Roman Catholic James. Venice Preserv’d is, in a sense, the perfect synthesis of the older politically royalist tragedies and histories of Dryden and the newer she-tragedies of feminine suffering, for, although the plot seems to be a political allegory, the action centres on a woman who cares for a man in conflict, and most of the scenes and dialogue concern her pitiable sufferings at his hands. Comedy Main article: Restoration comedy Restoration comedy is notorious for its sexual explicitness, a quality encouraged by Charles II personally and by the rakish aristocratic ethos of his court. The best-known plays of the early Restoration period are the unsentimental or â€Å"hard† comedies of John Dryden, William Wycherley, and George Etherege, which reflect the atmosphere at Court, and celebrate an aristocratic macholifestyle of unremitting sexual intrigue and conquest. The Earl of Rochester, real-life Restoration rake, courtier and poet, is flatteringly portrayed in Etherege’s Man of Mode (1676) as a riotous, witty, intellectual, and sexually irresistible aristocrat, a template for posterity.s idea of the glamorous Restoration rake (actually never a very common character in Restoration comedy). Wycherley’s The Plain Dealer (1676), a variation on the theme of Molià ¨re’s Le misanthrope, was highly regarded for its uncompromising satire and earned Wycherley the appellation â€Å"Plain De aler† Wycherley or â€Å"Manly† Wycherley, after the play’s main character Manly. The single writer who most supports the charge of obscenity levelled then and now at Restoration comedy is probably Wycherley. During the second wave of Restoration comedy in the 1690s, the â€Å"softer† comedies of William Congreve and John Vanbrugh reflected mutating cultural perceptions and great social change. The playwrights of the 1690s set out to appeal to more socially mixed audiences with a strong middle-class element, and to female spectators, for instance by moving the war between the sexes from the arena of intrigue into that of marriage. The focus in comedy is less on young lovers outwitting the older generation, more on marital relations after the wedding bells. In Congreve’s plays, the give-and-take set pieces of couples still testing their attraction for each other have mutated into witty prenuptial debates on the eve of marriage, as in the famous â€Å"Proviso† scene in The Way of the World (1700). Restoration drama had a bad reputation for three centuries. The â€Å"incongruous† mixing of comedy and tragedy beloved by Restoration audiences was decried. The Victorians denounced the comedy as too indecent for the stage,[12] and the standard reference work of the early 20th century, The Cambridge History of English and American Literature, dismissed the tragedy as being of â€Å"a level of dulness and lubricity never surpassed before or since†.[13] Today, the Restoration total theatre experience is again valued, both by postmodern literary critics and on the stage. The comedies of Aphra Behn in particular, long condemned as especially offensive in coming from a woman’s pen, have become academic and repertory favourites.

American Films and Backhoe Operators

To select the one who would get the job, the company asked each of them to go out and actually work on the backhoe for a day. Jim felt his chance for the job disappear because he had never even driven a tractor, let alone used a backhoe. When he went out, he did not know how to start the tractor. One of the other backhoe operators had to show him. He managed through the day, and to his surprise, did better than the others. He was given the job. On his first day at the new job, one of the other backhoe operators showed him where to check the hydraulic fluid and said, â€Å"These old Masseys are foolproof. You will be okay. † Jim taught himself how to dig a hole by trial and error. He initially believed that the best way was to fill the bucket as much as possible before lifting it out of the hole and emptying it. He would wiggle the bucket back and forth until it was submerged and then curl it. When it came out of the hole, the earth would be falling off the sides. This job was not so difficult after all, he thought. He cut through his first water line about two weeks after starting his new job. Going into a deep, muddy hole did not make the crew happy. After Jim cut through his third water line, the crew chief pulled him aside and said, â€Å"You are taking too much earth out with each bucket, so you don’t feel the bucket hitting the water line; ease up a bit. Water lines were usually six to eight feet down, so Jim would dig until about four feet and then try to be more careful. It was then that he pulled up some telephone lines that were only about three feet deep. Realizing that more was involved in operating a backhoe than he first had thought, he sought out Bill Granger, who was known to have broken a water line only twice in his 15 years. It was said that he was so good that he could dig underneath the gas lines—a claim that Jim doubted. Bill said, â€Å"You need to be able to feel any restriction. The way to do that is to have more than one of your levers open at the same time. Operating the bucket lever and the boom lever at the same time reduces the power and causes the machine to stop rather than cut through a line of any type. † Jim began to use this method but still broke water lines. The difference now was that he knew immediately when he broke a line. He could feel the extra pull, whereas in the past, he found out either by seeing water gushing up or by hearing the crew chief swearing at him. He was getting better. Jim never did become as good as Bill Granger. In fact, two years later, he applied for another job as gas repairperson and was promoted, but the training as a gas repairperson was not much better. Case Questions 1. What are the potential costs to this lack of training? Why do you think the company operated in this manner? 2. What type of training would you recommend: OJT, classroom, or a combination? Describe what the training might entail. 3. What type of training environment would you provide? 4. Who would you get to do the training, and why? 5. Would you consider purchasing a training program for backhoe operators? Provide your rationale. American Films and Backhoe Operators To select the one who would get the job, the company asked each of them to go out and actually work on the backhoe for a day. Jim felt his chance for the job disappear because he had never even driven a tractor, let alone used a backhoe. When he went out, he did not know how to start the tractor. One of the other backhoe operators had to show him. He managed through the day, and to his surprise, did better than the others. He was given the job. On his first day at the new job, one of the other backhoe operators showed him where to check the hydraulic fluid and said, â€Å"These old Masseys are foolproof. You will be okay. † Jim taught himself how to dig a hole by trial and error. He initially believed that the best way was to fill the bucket as much as possible before lifting it out of the hole and emptying it. He would wiggle the bucket back and forth until it was submerged and then curl it. When it came out of the hole, the earth would be falling off the sides. This job was not so difficult after all, he thought. He cut through his first water line about two weeks after starting his new job. Going into a deep, muddy hole did not make the crew happy. After Jim cut through his third water line, the crew chief pulled him aside and said, â€Å"You are taking too much earth out with each bucket, so you don’t feel the bucket hitting the water line; ease up a bit. Water lines were usually six to eight feet down, so Jim would dig until about four feet and then try to be more careful. It was then that he pulled up some telephone lines that were only about three feet deep. Realizing that more was involved in operating a backhoe than he first had thought, he sought out Bill Granger, who was known to have broken a water line only twice in his 15 years. It was said that he was so good that he could dig underneath the gas lines—a claim that Jim doubted. Bill said, â€Å"You need to be able to feel any restriction. The way to do that is to have more than one of your levers open at the same time. Operating the bucket lever and the boom lever at the same time reduces the power and causes the machine to stop rather than cut through a line of any type. † Jim began to use this method but still broke water lines. The difference now was that he knew immediately when he broke a line. He could feel the extra pull, whereas in the past, he found out either by seeing water gushing up or by hearing the crew chief swearing at him. He was getting better. Jim never did become as good as Bill Granger. In fact, two years later, he applied for another job as gas repairperson and was promoted, but the training as a gas repairperson was not much better. Case Questions 1. What are the potential costs to this lack of training? Why do you think the company operated in this manner? 2. What type of training would you recommend: OJT, classroom, or a combination? Describe what the training might entail. 3. What type of training environment would you provide? 4. Who would you get to do the training, and why? 5. Would you consider purchasing a training program for backhoe operators? Provide your rationale.

Health Information Systmes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Health Information Systmes - Essay Example Present day concern of disseminating information at a faster rate has led to the rising use of Data Systems that will monitor programs and services. Aging of the Population - Although the main impact of the aging of the population will not be felt for two decades or more, the growth of the population 85 years old and older will continue to strain nursing homes, home health, and other components of the long-term care system. Unprecedented growth of pharmaceutical industries has led to the emergence of new drugs and treatments in the market. Health Information system becomes indispensable since it will help in tracking drug interactions. In the recent times there had been considerable rise in the frequency of information exchange among the healthcare organizations. It becomes essential to have accurate records of treatment procedures. Inclusion of personal digital assistants (PDAs) into the healthcare system has also become of significant use. The major reason for the rising importance of Health Information System is the development of complex treatments and technologies. The organizations feel the need for a comprehensive data base since the volumes of patients and treatments have escalated in the last few decades. Inclination to opt for paperless records is another major reason for the popularity of this system of storing information. The vital factor among all the factors mentioned above is the growing number of patients and the advent of various complicated drugs and therapies. This has made the health care system highly dependant on computed system of acquiring information. Sleek and easy accessibility of information through computer s is preferred to bulky paper records. Advent of a host of new diagnostic tools and tests certainly require extra attention in information management with added emphasis on processing and storing documents. Heal Information system has proved to be a boon for clinicians, consumers and the health system. Besides reducing the amount of time spent in recording the details of patient care this automated system helps in eliminating inaccuracies and redundancy of data. Through this updated information system you get optimal access to information which also helps in improving the quality of care by rendering the streamlined information to the experts. (Conrick p 241) Module 2 As the head of Slainte health care organization I have to pay due attention to some issues arising due to the decision of accommodating the professional, administrative and maintenance Earlier Slainte health care organization had to cater themselves to the need of 1, staff of the destroyed hospital in the neighboring community. Due to this makeshift arrangement supposedly for4 years, I have to attend to the related matters about various layers of administration and smooth operation. Earlier my hospital had to serve 100,000 residents but now it has got the added responsibility to accommodate 50, 000 more people from its neighboring community. In order to provide the medical care to both the communities a plausible expansion process is to be sought out. Factors like present infrastructure of my hospital, staffs in every department and the number of beds available are to be considered before assessing the added requirements. I have to take into

Does Different Business Strategy Is Indeed a Requirement for Success Essay

Does Different Business Strategy Is Indeed a Requirement for Success - Essay Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that competition is even more profound in businesses surviving in competitive markets. Companies will, therefore, resort to innovation whereby new untapped markets will be created. However, creating and investing in new markets has its risks and disadvantages. The other option involves applying robust efforts to provide the same services and products better than any other player in the same industry does. However, the benefits cannot be retained for a long time. Therefore, the most successful business organizations resort to a hybrid of the two options. Best market players combine innovativeness and best of service to produce a different business field where competitors will find hard to compete. Most successful global business organizations have indeed survived the torrential market conditions by playing it differently. Apple is one of the leading companies in the production of high-tech electronic gadgets. Due to its su ccess, the company has become envy to most companies that are trying to follow its steps. With Steve Jobs as its current CEO, the company has achieved much success than other companies that have been in the industry for many years. Currently, the company’s market capitalization has exceeded $ 200 billion and this makes Apple find a position in the top ten companies in the globe. Currently, the company is ranked slightly below Microsoft, which is the leading technology company in the world. The most striking thing about the success of the company is how fast the company has achieved the success. Other market players in the industry are hoping to learn the secrets of the company and if possible emulate them. To understand Apple secrets, one needs to make a detailed analysis of its business strategies in order to determine how the same has indeed contributed to its success. Firstly, unlike other companies in the industry, Apple is a vertically integrated company. This implies th at the company control or owns most of the technology required to produce its products.

Fundamentals of Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Fundamentals of Marketing - Assignment Example enjoys significant brand reputation, it is important to engage in road shows to enhance popularity of products especially to promote its numerous innovations (Solomon et al. 2011). 5.0 Conclusion 11 This paper critiques the marketing strategy of Apple Company in Australia. It is a US multinational company dealing in a wide range of technology products and services such as computers, mobile phones, software, computer peripherals, media auxiliaries, and networking services among other electronics. The company has accomplished rapid growth in the consumer electronics market as part of its brand extension strategy. It presents an industry overview, environmental analysis and the marketing strategy of Apple, which also includes how the 4-Ps of marketing mix is applied. The paper highlights some recommendations on the appropriate measures to be undertaken to improve the company’s marketing performance in the next 1-3 years. Marketing is a significant process that helps businesses to effectively interact with customers for the purpose of understanding their needs and creating the desired value. An organization that satisfies the needs of its customers is able to maintain profitability and long term sustainability. It is important that the operating environment is understood to enhance development of a successful marketing strategy. A company needs to select the right marketing mix that gives it a competitive advantage over competitors. Environmental analysis is important as it presents an overview of the micro and macro-environmental factors that influence a company’s competitiveness in the market. The marketing strategies applied by different companies are focused on maintaining a competitive advantage in the market. Effective segmentation, targeting and positioning enhance the overall success. The 4-Ps in marketing mix represents Product, Price, Place and Promotion, which are essential in satis fying consumer needs and enhancing profitability (Kim & Meyers-Levy,

Statistical techniques in engineering Management Essay

Statistical techniques in engineering Management - Essay Example (d) Since central limit theorem uses a sample of the population that is chosen at random it will not affect the location and the spread of the data. The data will follow the same normal distribution curve as the entire population. The mean, median and mode will be the same or approximately the same as that of the entire population. (b) Fixation indices- is the description of the expected level of heterozygosity in a given data. It is used to determine or measure the correlation between data drawn from different levels of a subdivided entire set of data. (c) Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)- is set of statistical models and the procedures entailed, in which the variance in one variable is subdivided to different sources of variations. It is commonly used to test average of different groups of set of data. Because if the process inputs are correct and accurate, if the method of calculating and analyzing are correct the process output will be accurate or near accurate. If you concentrate on a process output the inputs might not be correct and even with the correct analysis the the output is bound to be wrong and therefore misleading. (a) Primary Data-this kind of data is collected specifically with its objective in mind. It was collected for a specific purpose. An example is data collected from staff or clients in form of questionnaires or data collected from the variation of a product in a manufacturing process. (b) Secondary data- is data that was collected for a specific purpose but now it is being reused for another different method. For example using questionnaires and initial analysis to calculate the viability of something new or use of initial set of variations results of a product to predict the likelihood of it occurring

Natural disasters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Natural disasters - Essay Example Earthquakes manifest themselves on the surface of the earth by shaking and at times displacing the ground. There is a long history of seismic activity and earthquakes in Japan .Japan is a region characterized by high seismicity due to its location which is near main tectonic plate borders and is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Geologically the Japanese islands are as a consequence of many big oceanic movements taking place more than hundreds of millions of years ago. Originally Japan was attached to the Eurasian continent’s eastern coast. Since the Eurasian plates were less deep than the subducting plates, Japan was pulled eastwards forming the Sea of japan about fifteen million years ago (Smits,2014). Whereas on 23 August 416, an earthquake is mentioned in Yamato(present day Nara the Prefecture) initial earthquake to be dependably recorded occurred on28 May,599 in Nara prefecture ,during Empress Suiko’s reign, damaging buildings through the entire Yamato province. Several other historical accounts of earthquakes occurrences exist and with the creation of Imperial Earthquake Investigation Committee in 1892, systematic collation of all available data was conducted and in 1899 published. The committee was suspended in 1923 after the occurrence of the Kanto earthquake and in 1925 and the Earthquake Research Institute superseded it (Clancey, 2006). The Kanto earthquake that occurred in 1923 is one of the deadliest in the history of Japan claiming about 105,385 deaths, whereas the Tohuku earthquake in 2011 is the costliest (USD 235 billion) and strongest earthquake on record. It is also the most costly natural disaster to occur globally to date. There are numerous other earthquakes that have occurred and have been recorded in the history of Japan. Nevertheless, the Tohuku earthquake of 11th march 2011 is the strongest in

Water pollution prevention Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Water pollution prevention - Research Paper Example For a sustainable life on planet earth, water is one of the most important indispensable commodity without which survival of human life and all the other life forms is not possible. It affects our economy, health and lifestyle.The major utilization of this resource is in industries such as agriculture, hydroelectric power generation, transportation, industry along with domestic and commercial uses. Major portions of the earth’s surface are covered with water in the form of oceans and ice caps and therefore difficult to recover; however, only 3% of these water bodies (rivers, lakes) constitute fresh water available for human consumption. Also rainwater is a major source of our water supply on earth. Water pollution has become a global environmental issue due to rapid industrialization, population boom, increased economic activities and demand for fresh water has increased manifolds in the past years. Any detrimental variation (physical, chemical or biological) in the state of w ater by contamination of harmful substances is known as water pollution (Goel1). It influences all the water bodies such as lakes, rivers, oceans and ground water. It affects human beings, plants, animals, birds and fish etc. and is responsible for disturbing the natural ecosystem on earth. There are several sources for water contamination however; there are two primary routes through which these contaminants enter surface water, ground water, drinking water and soil/sediment water. (a) Point source pollution. The discharge of distinct pollutant sources directly into water bodies and aquatic systems (USEPA 14). For example: 1. Domestic/Municipal sewage: The waste water generated from household/commercial activities contains organic (food waste) and inorganic waste (nitrates and phosphates) (WWF 2). The amount of organic waste that water bodies can degrade is determined in terms of Biological oxygen demand. BOD is the amount of oxygen required by the microorganisms to decompose organ ic matter and thus the higher amount of BOD in a water body signifies that it is polluted with organic waste. However, inorganic wastes produced largely by soaps and detergents are non-degradable and upon entering the water bodies causes serious implications on ecosystem. 2. Industrial effluents: Waste water containing organic pollutants and toxic chemicals (lead, mercury, nitrates and phosphates) from manufacturing and processing industries causes water pollution. Also, disposal of solid and gaseous wastes from nuclear and thermal power plants are a source of water pollution (Agarwal 37). 3. Agriculture: Agricultural wastes include manure, slurries and run off. Manure being rich in nitrates and phosphates seeps in the sediments/ground water causing water pollution. 4. Atmospheric gases: As a result of industrial gaseous emissions and automobile exhaust the concentration of dissolved gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur dioxide, ammonia and carbon dioxide is increased sufficientl y in atmosphere. Subsequently, the water in close proximity to these polluted areas becomes concentrated with these gases resulting in water pollution (Agarwal 39). (b) Non-point source pollution (NPS): Contaminants entering indirectly into water bodies through ground/soil water or atmosphere through rain comprise of NPS. These include gaseous emissions from factories, automobiles, agricultural run-off etc. (USEPA 13). Agricultural NPS is the leading source of water quality degradation and is majorly caused by runoff soils carrying fertilizers, growth hormone residue, pesticides and heavy metals etc. Other sources of water pollution include spillage of oil and harmful substances in water bodies, atmospheric deposition, marine dumping, radioactive wastes and global warming. All of these have devastating and extensive damage effects on aquatic life (Agarwal 37). Harmful effects of water pollution are: 1. Source of contaminants/pathogens to human beings: According to UN world water Ass essment Program, around 2.3

Stress and Performance Essay Example for Free

Stress and Performance Essay So far, we have seen that stress is a negative experience. We have seen the short-term negative effects that stress hormones can have on your performance, and have seen how stress can contribute to burnout. The Positive Effects of Pressure Sometimes, however, the pressures and demands that may cause stress can be positive in their effect. One example of this is where sportsmen and women flood their bodies with fight-or-flight adrenaline to power an explosive performance. Another example is where deadlines are used to motivate people who seem bored or unmotivated. We will discuss this briefly here, but throughout the rest of this site we see stress as a problem that needs to be solved. And the Negative In most work situations jobs, our stress responses causes our performance to suffer. A calm, rational, controlled and sensitive approach is usually called for in dealing with most difficult problems at work: Our social inter-relationships are just too complex not to be damaged by an aggressive approach, while a passive and withdrawn response to stress means that we can fail to assert our rights when we should. Before we look further at how to manage stress and our performance, it is important to look at the relationship between pressure and performance in a little more detail, first by looking at the idea of the â€Å"Inverted-U†, and second by looking at Flow. This is the ideal state of concentration and focus that brings excellent performance. Pressure Performance – the Inverted U The relationship between pressure and performance is explained in one of the oldest and most important ideas in stress management, the â€Å"Inverted-U† relationship between pressure and performance (see below). The Inverted-U relationship focuses on people’s performance of a task. The left hand side of the graph is easy to explain for pragmatic reasons. When there is very little pressure on us to carry out an important task, there is little incentive for us to focus energy and attention on it. This is particularly the case when there may be other, more urgent, or more interesting, tasks competing for attention. As pressure on us increases, we enter the â€Å"area of best performance†. Here, we are able to focus on the task and perform well – there is enough pressure on us to focus our attention but not so much that it disrupts our performance. The right hand side of the graph is more complex to explain. Negative Thoughts Crowd Our Minds We are all aware that we have a limited short-term memory: If you try to memorize a long list of items, you will not be able to remember more than six or eight items unless you use formal memory techniques. Similarly, although we have huge processing power in our brains, we cannot be conscious of more than a few thoughts at any one time. In fact, in a very real way, we have a limited â€Å"attentional capacity†. As we become uncomfortably stressed, distractions, difficulties, anxieties and negative thinking begin to crowd our minds. This is particularly the case where we look at our definition of stress, i. e. that it occurs when a person perceives that â€Å"demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize. † These thoughts compete with performance of the task for our attentional capacity. Concentration suffers, and focus narrows as our brain becomes overloaded. As shown in the figure, this is something of a slippery slope: the more our brain is overloaded, the more our performance can suffer. The more our performance suffers, the more new distractions, difficulties, anxieties and negative thoughts crowd our minds. Other research has shown that stress reduces people’s ability to deal with large amounts of information. Both decision-making and creativity are impaired because people are unable to take account of all the information available. This inability accounts for the common observation that highly stressed people will persist in a course of action even when better alternatives are available. It also explains why anxious people perform best when they are put under little additional stress, while calm people may need additional pressure to produce a good performance. Notes on the research behind the Inverted-U: While this is an important and useful idea, people’s evaluations of stress and performance are by necessity subjective. This has made it difficult to prove the ‘Inverted-U’ idea formally. Also, for ease of explanation, we show a smooth curve here. In reality, different people have different shaped and positioned inverted-Us at different times and in different circumstances. This is all part of â€Å"life’s rich tapestry†. Entering a State of Flow When you are operating in your â€Å"area of best performance†, you are normally able to concentrate, and focus all of your attention on the important task at hand. When you do this without distraction, you often enter what Professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi of Chicago University describes as a state of ‘flow’. This involves â€Å"being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and youre using your skills to the utmost. You perform at your best in this state because you are able to focus all of your efforts, resources and abilities on the tasks at hand. While you are sufficiently motivated to resist competing temptations, you are not so stressed that anxieties and distractions interfere with clear thought. This is an intensely creative, efficient and satisfying state of mind. It is the state of mind in which, for example, the most persuasive speeches are made, the best software is developed, and the most impressive athletic or artistic performances are delivered. Helping Yourself to Get Into Flow One of the frustrations of management is that managers can feel that they lose the ‘right’ to these periods of deep concentration when they must be readily available to others, and be able to deal with the constantly changing information, decisions and activities around them. Studies of good managers show that they rarely get more than a few minutes alone without distraction. This alone can be frustrating, and can contribute strongly to managerial stress. In jobs where concentration is a rare commodity, there are various solutions to creating the periods of flow that sustain good performance. Solutions include working from home, or setting aside parts of the day as quiet periods. Another solution might be to delegate the activities that require the greatest levels of concentration, allowing the manager to concentrate on problems as they arise, serving to create a flow of its own. One of the key aims of this site is to help you manage stress so that you can enter this state of flow, and deliver truly excellent performance in your career.

Introduction Of Computer Virus

Introduction Of Computer Virus Computer Virus is a program that copies itself, Computer virus can infect your computer and slowing down your computer. And virus also can spreads computer to computer. The person who sends out the computer virus may use networking of the internet. The computer virus also can be spread by via disk, CD, thauDVD or flash drive or other devices. Usually, a virus is written to target a network file system or shared filet in order to spread from computer to computer using network. Worm or Trojan is slightly different from another virus it appears harmless, This is the type of virus which enters the programs exploits security hothatmay have spread through other networks or Internet users. Computer virus are usually small, which are design to spread from one computer to other computer and to enter and interfere Computer operation. Virus might corrupt your windows or might delete the important data on your computer, Normaly virus can be spread through e-mails program to other computer which can even delete everything on the hard disk. Often Computer viruses can be spread by attachments by e-mail massages or even can be instant massaging . that is why must never one a email which we dont know where it came from and who send it we may never know it could be virus. Virus can be as attachments of funny images or video or files it can spread when u download to your computer from the internet. HOW COMPUTER VIRUSES WORK Virus can infect a small section of software or it will be there when the user open the program or runs the programs . It could be attached word or excel or other software programs it can be in any form or in any types of files. Email viruses are totally different from the virus which uses email to infect computers. An attachment or files in a email that open or download from your email will be launch infection allowing to spread. An email virus cannot ifnfect your compur unless the malicious file is open. A virus called Trojans can work by claiming a game file or other file to get inside.It could then erase the content that stored on your hard drive or other drives. Trojans do not replicate like a virus but worms is able to attack the security holes and then replicate in the network to spread to other computer which uses network. COMPUTER IFFECTION first thing you might not realize win32, kido, conficker, trojans orviruses have not got into your computer if u dont have Internet Security and other antivirus software.the ability of the program to get inside an operation system undetected . Depending on the infection, you may be greeted with a black or blue screen when the OS is unable to load; you will not be able to access any files, documents or other information on the computer. If there is only one file infected, the computer may not be able to open the file . when shut down you may get massages that a program is still running but the program may have numbers and letters only. IT is most often not a program that you recongnise, even though it might state it is in the part of a system operation. Task manager is to stop the program without result since the virus,trojan or malicious entity has the control it to continue the infecting the computer until it has run its course,rendering your computer ineffective. WAYS TO SOLVE COMPUTER VIRUSES THE WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER Understanding what is virus and how is works the first step to obtaining the necessary protection of computer . Computer with the latest window. Window 7 have firewall , security updates / patches and windowa Defender.These devices are the first thing to protect your computer and they work as PC virus protection, but that is not enough to stop all the problems. You need to find additional antivirus protection. Antivirus software such as Mac antivirus or Windows 7 antivirus are further protection programs that will stop computer viruses. They are a second line of defence, if you will. Antivirus software tends to block holes left by PC virus protection. Hackers that encounters antivirus software will have to work harder to get through with thei computer viruses. Therefore you need not to worry about spending a lot of money for your anti-virus now day there many free anti-virus which can download in a secure web site which keeps your computer protected. There many free anti-virus which is designed to automatic run an initial scan of the computer to see if your computer is effected. It will then remove any infections you might have. It may be unable to remove the entire infection, in which case it will quarantine the virus in a place where it can no longer affect other files on your computer. It will also try to repair any damage. Other Protection Methods By Downloading any antivirus software helps, But there is also other measures your own to keep malicious viruses. First thing never open an email attachment if u canà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢t identify the sender and also have your our own antivirus software runs a scan on the attachment in the event that the senderà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s computer has been infected. Second, do not download any items from a site you do not trust or that does not have the secured server symbol a lock. Download only files you recognize, including music, movies and other online media. Third, set up your wireless network security and obtain a mobile antivirus. An unsecure Internet connection is an invitation to hackers to try to download malicious threats. A mobile antivirus is also set up for wireless networks, whereas other antivirus software is meant for secured connections. TYPE OF VIRUSES Resident Viruses This type of virus is a permanent which dwells in the RAM memory. From there it can overcome and interrupt all of the operations executed by the system: corrupting files and programs that are opened, closed, copied, renamed Direct Action Viruses The main purpose of this virus is to replicate and take action when it is executed. When a specific condition is met, the virus will go into action and infect files in the directory or folder that it is in and in directories that are specified in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file PATH. This batch file is always located in the root directory of the hard disk and carries out certain operations when the computer is booted. Overwrite Viruses Virus of this kind is characterized by the fact that it deletes the information contained in the files that it infects, rendering them partially or totally useless once they have been infected. The only way to clean a file infected by an overwrite virus is to delete the file completely, thus losing the original content. Examples of this virus include: Way, Trj.Reboot, Trivial.88.D. Boot Virus This type of virus affects the boot sector of a floppy or hard disk. This is a crucial part of a disk, in which information on the disk itself is stored together with a program that makes it possible to boot (start) the computer from the disk. The best way of avoiding boot viruses is to ensure that floppy disks are write-protected and never start your computer with an unknown floppy disk in the disk drive. Examples of boot viruses include: Polyboot.B, AntiEXE. Macro Virus Macro viruses infect files that are created using certain applications or programs that contain macros. These mini-programs make it possible to automate series of operations so that they are performed as a single action, thereby saving the user from having to carry them out one by one. Examples of macro viruses: Relax, Melissa.A, Bablas, O97M/Y2K. Directory Virus Directory viruses change the paths that indicate the location of a file. By executing a program (file with the extension .EXE or .COM) which has been infected by a virus, you are unknowingly running the virus program, while the original file and program have been previously moved by the virus. Once infected it becomes impossible to locate the original files. PICTURE CONCLUSION To keep our computer safe we need to anti à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ virus programs that stores the definition known as virus and malware program. To keep our anti-virus active we need to update and scan our computer every time we use computer. Now it should be clear that how important to use a computer and keep it safe from viruses. and u should always full scan your computer for virus to prevent the loss of data. when ever u use a pendrive or external hard disk you must scan for viruses to keep your computer safe. 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Examination of Womens Friendships through an Analysis of Katherine Phi

Examination of Women's Friendships through an Analysis of Katherine Philips' Friendship's Mystery: To My Dearest Lucasia When readers reflect on the poetry of the seventeenth century, poets such as John Donne and the Metaphysicals, Jonson and the Cavaliers, and John Milton often come to mind. The poetry crosses over various boundaries of Neoplatonic, Ovidian, and Petrarchan forms, for example, often with many references to women filling the lines. Described as helpless creatures, seventeenth century women were often shut out from all possibilities of power, and they were generalized into four categories: virgins, women to be married, married, and widowed. In the state of marriage, women were forced to be the submissive, powerless objects of their husbands. Equality and balance within their marriages were of no concern to men of the seventeenth century. Out of the oppressive setting of the seventeenth century arose very few women poets; however, Katherine Philips not only became a poet, but she also displayed her will to survive by responding to the negativity that surrounded the lives of females, especially the oppression of women in marriages. By focusing on the importance of friendships between women Philips used her poetry, specifically "Friendship's Mystery: To My Dearest Lucasia," as an outlet to critique the misogyny and misrepresentations of marriages put forth by male poets, such as John Donne, and the oppressive social settings of the seventeenth century. In order to better understand Philip's critique of Donne within the lines of her poetry, a reading of twentieth century critic Adrienne Rich's essay "When We Dead Awaken: Writing for Re-Vision" ... ...Company, 2000. Donne, John. "The Canonization." Abrams 1240-1241. Donne, John. "The Relic." Abrams 1253-1254. Donne, John. "The Sun Rising." Abrams 1239. Hageman, Elizabeth H. "The Matchless Orinda: Katherine Philips." Women Writers of the Renaissance Reformation. Georgia, 1987. Mendelson, Sara and Patricia Crawford. Women in Early Modern England 1550-1720. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Philips, Katherine. "Friendship's Mystery: To My Dearest Lucasia." Souers, Philips Webster. The Matchless Orinda. London: Oxford University Press, 1931. Rich, Adrienne. "When We Dead Awaken: Writing for Re-vision." On Lies, Secrets, and Silence. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1979. 33-49. Wiesner, Merry E. Women and Gender in Early Modern Europe. New York: Cambridge, 1993. Norton Topics Online: www. wwnorton.com/nael Examination of Women's Friendships through an Analysis of Katherine Phi Examination of Women's Friendships through an Analysis of Katherine Philips' Friendship's Mystery: To My Dearest Lucasia When readers reflect on the poetry of the seventeenth century, poets such as John Donne and the Metaphysicals, Jonson and the Cavaliers, and John Milton often come to mind. The poetry crosses over various boundaries of Neoplatonic, Ovidian, and Petrarchan forms, for example, often with many references to women filling the lines. Described as helpless creatures, seventeenth century women were often shut out from all possibilities of power, and they were generalized into four categories: virgins, women to be married, married, and widowed. In the state of marriage, women were forced to be the submissive, powerless objects of their husbands. Equality and balance within their marriages were of no concern to men of the seventeenth century. Out of the oppressive setting of the seventeenth century arose very few women poets; however, Katherine Philips not only became a poet, but she also displayed her will to survive by responding to the negativity that surrounded the lives of females, especially the oppression of women in marriages. By focusing on the importance of friendships between women Philips used her poetry, specifically "Friendship's Mystery: To My Dearest Lucasia," as an outlet to critique the misogyny and misrepresentations of marriages put forth by male poets, such as John Donne, and the oppressive social settings of the seventeenth century. In order to better understand Philip's critique of Donne within the lines of her poetry, a reading of twentieth century critic Adrienne Rich's essay "When We Dead Awaken: Writing for Re-Vision" ... ...Company, 2000. Donne, John. "The Canonization." Abrams 1240-1241. Donne, John. "The Relic." Abrams 1253-1254. Donne, John. "The Sun Rising." Abrams 1239. Hageman, Elizabeth H. "The Matchless Orinda: Katherine Philips." Women Writers of the Renaissance Reformation. Georgia, 1987. Mendelson, Sara and Patricia Crawford. Women in Early Modern England 1550-1720. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Philips, Katherine. "Friendship's Mystery: To My Dearest Lucasia." Souers, Philips Webster. The Matchless Orinda. London: Oxford University Press, 1931. Rich, Adrienne. "When We Dead Awaken: Writing for Re-vision." On Lies, Secrets, and Silence. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1979. 33-49. Wiesner, Merry E. Women and Gender in Early Modern Europe. New York: Cambridge, 1993. Norton Topics Online: www. wwnorton.com/nael

Millennial Themes in The Prelude and Mont Blanc Essay -- Wordsworth P

Millennial Themes in The Prelude and Mont Blanc On reading Book VI of Wordsworth's thirteen-part version of The Prelude, I was particularly struck by the passage in which, following his crossing of the Alps, the poet describes "the sick sight / And giddy prospect of the raging stream" (VI. 564-565) of the Arve Ravine as both an apocalyptic foreboding and an expression of millennial unity in his theory of the One Mind: The unfettered clouds and region of the heavens, Tumult and peace, the darkness and the light, Were all like workings of one mind, the features Of the same face, blossoms upon one tree, Characters of the great Apocalypse, The types and symbols of eternity, Of first, and last, and midst, and without end. (VI. 566-572) The unity of God, man, and nature is of course a common theme in Wordsworth's poetry, having been given equally memorable treatments in Tintern Abbey and elsewhere, but it was the seemingly paradoxical sentiment of this passage from The Prelude that made such a strong impression on me. As John Beer points out in his article "Romantic Apocalypses," "Although traditionally the apocalypse and the millennium have gone together, recently, the first, with its sense of doom, has been more prominent" (109). To a reader who has lived through the passing of both a new century and a new millennium, the phrase "Characters of the great Apocalypse" tends to evoke feelings of eschatological anxiety, and to suggest the fragility and transience of the landscape Wordsworth is attempting to describe. It is easy to forget that Wordsworth used the term in its original sense of "simply 'revelation,' the name given to the English version in the New Testament" (Beer 109); and that in its evocations o... ... used the essential paradox of apocalypse and millennium not to prophesy the destruction of the existing world, but to make their readers aware of the greater harmony of the universe, both within and outside the boundaries of time. Works Cited Beer, John. "Romantic Apocalypses." Wordsworth Circle 32.2 (2001): 109-116. Shelley, Percy Bysshe. "Mont Blanc: Lines Written in the Vale of Chamounix." 1816. Romanticism: An Anthology. 2nd ed. Ed. Duncan Wu. Oxford: Blackwell, 1998. 845-849. Shelley, Percy Bysshe. Excerpt from "Journal-Letter from Percy Bysshe Shelley to Thomas Love Peacock, 22 July to 2 August 1876." Romanticism: An Anthology. 2nd ed. Ed. Duncan Wu. Oxford: Blackwell, 1998. 844. Wordsworth, William. Excerpt from The Thirteen-Book Prelude, Book VI. 1806. Romanticism: An Anthology. 2nd ed. Ed. Duncan Wu. Oxford: Blackwell, 1998. 389-392.

Sonnet 29 :: essays research papers

Sonnet #29 Despite popular belief, William Shakespeare was considered a great poet before a great playwright. He accomplished writing at least 154 sonnets and other poems of love. In this paper, I will analyze one of his greatest sonnets. One of the most famous of his sonnets is number XXIX. This sonnet is one long sentence, but it still follows the usual Shakespearean pattern of three quatrains (four line sections) and a couplet. It also follows the traditional rhyme scheme for Shakespearian sonnets: ababcdcdefefgg. The first quatrain tells how the narrator is feeling. From reading these four lines, you sense his loneliness and sense of abandonment by fate, G-d, love, and other men. I believe the key line in this quatrain is line 3 (When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,). Here I feel Shakespeare is saying that this person who is very depressed, is crying out for help to others, but he is such an outcast that not even "deaf heaven," meaning God and the angels of heaven or listening to his cries. The second quatrain starts off with a line that shows the narrator wishes to be more optimistic. He realizes that in order to achieve his goals, he must believe in himself first and stop being so depressed. The second half of the quatrain shows he is envious of other men’s possessions and riches when he says, â€Å"Desiring this man's art and that man's scope, With what I most enjoy contented least.† Moving into the third quatrain, you see that the speaker begins to reflect on himself and starts to compare himself with his friends. You know this when â€Å"Haply I think on thee, and then my state,† is said. Just as you start to think the speaker is going back into a state of self-pity, you realize the speaker’s inspired sprits are rising like â€Å"the lark at break of day†.

Analyzing Strengths and Weaknesses of Amazon

Strengths Amazon has proven to be a successful and profitable organization in terms of growth, with a current net income in 2008 of 663 million dollars. The company uses Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Information Technology to record customer buying habits, investing a lot of time and money researching customer trends. Doing this they are able to locate and prepare for sales estimated from previous years. A high percentage of their customers buy during the holiday season; knowing this enables Amazon to offer different promotions and selling strategies tailored to meet the customers demand and needs. Amazon has a huge global brand and is listed as 130 on the Fortune 500 list. Amazon was one of the first companies in e-commerce; which has allowed them to hold a huge percentage of the market share. Amazon recently bought JOYO, Chin’s largest online retailer, creating an even bigger market share in China, but still left with room to grow. Amazon’s Inventory turnover rate is phenomenal, even in the current economy. They have been able to maintain a 34 day inventory to turn over, which equals out to over 10 times a year. This is beneficial, because it allows Amazon to adjust to seasonal products and different product trends, without large amounts of excess inventory. Adding to that; Amazon’s total debt has been decreasing year over to a low of $. 67 in 2008. This means that for every $1 Amazon has $. 7 in debt. This has been declining signaling company growth. Weaknesses Amazon has continually added new products and services to customers; and is known for their great customer service and quality products. Something for them to consider is, when adding new products or categories of products, they could damage its brand. In order to be competitive with other companies Amazon has to broaden the range of products, but cannot become a swap meet either.

Market Analysis of Fortress

Table of Contents 1) Executive Summary4 2) Company Background4 2. 1) Company Prospect4 2. 2) Market Leading History5 3) Competitors Analysis6 3. 1) Industry Perspective6 3. 2) Market Leader — Broadway (in 4P points of view)6 3. 3) Market Challenger — Gome (in 4P points of view)6 3. 4) Company Review6 4) External Environment Analysis7 4. 1) Geographical view7 4. 2) Demographical7 4. 3) PEST Analysis7 a. Political7 b. Economic Environment8 c. Social Environment8 d. Technological Environment9 5) Consumer Review9 Dissonance-reducing buying behavior10 6) SWOT Analysis10 a. Strengths10 b. Weaknesses11 c. Opportunities12 . Threats13 7) Conclusion and Recommendations13 7. 1) Target Market and Positioning Strategies13 7. 2) Marketing mix programs14 a)Product14 b)Price14 c)Place15 d)Promotions15 1) Executive Summary This marketing report is aimed to analyze the electrical appliance retailer, Fortress, and provide(provides) several recommendations to improve its market positioning that can achieve its targets and objectives. After investigating the current situation and external environment, it is suggested to launch a new promotion campaign that allows Fortress to gain more attention from consumers and succeed in the industry.It is found that the trend of collective purchasing is significant on the internet. Also, the number of marriage increased with the economy rebounded. In the Social Awareness on the environmental friendly penetrate to the public. Therefore, the promotion campaign is designed from these findings so as to enhance its competitiveness in the market. And, other detailed findings will be explicated in later parts. This promotion campaign is to offer a bundle of products labeled with high energy-saving efficiency for the young couples planned to be married.And, the marketing calendar as to the implementation of this promotion campaign will be explicitly shown to execute the proposed marketing mix program. 2) Company Background Fortress was es tablished for thirty six years in Hong Kong, founded in 1975 and acquired by Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL) in 1986. It has expanded its business up to around 67 outlets hiring more than one thousand staff in Hong Kong. As for First mover advantages, Fortress is the first Hong Kong retailer to offer one-stop shop convenience and a multi-zone in-store retail concept in this industry.All these contribute to its current market offering, but not market myopia, which allows(allow? ) customers to enjoy excellent time-saving shopping so as to fulfill their needs and wants. In order to publicize its new smart living concept, Fortress publishes online magazine, â€Å"Wave†, and a number of free seminars on different interests including high-definition products, computers, digital cameras, home audio and video studio are held to educate consumers about the technology development and new products arrival in Fortress. . 1) Company Prospect â€Å"Inspiring Smart Living† – I t was introduced in 2004. Of this core aspiration of Fortress, professional services and advices provided by Fortress will be offered to customer in order to inculcate them to start â€Å"smart living†. â€Å"Smart living† means living with the support of the advanced technology. This mainly aims at inducing consumers to alter their life style to the advanced life style through leveraging advanced digital devices and home appliances. Customer-Oriented Services and Products ProvidedTo accompany with its prospect, Fortress allocates much resources in providing excellent customer services and introducing a variety of products. Thus, many external organizations recognized its outstanding services. a. Customer-Oriented Services The frontline staff will base on the different customer’s preferences to provide personalized recommendations on the particular products or other insurance products in After-Sale service. Some of customer services have been firstly introduced in the consumer electronics retail market, which Fortress gained several first-mover advantages.For instance, Fortress was the first one to launch the ‘24-Month Interest Free Installment’ Program, ‘Purchase-to-play’ Service; a ‘PAY THE DIFFERENCE’ policy that guarantees shoppers the lowest prices on every product every day, ‘Ideal Gift List Service’ and an ‘Emergency Replacement Service’ that guarantees ultimate satisfaction through the second year of product life. To ensure the high standard quality of the customer service, â€Å"Fortress Academy† was established to cultivate the continuous learning culture and to provide comprehensive training program to staff, ranging from frontline to management. . Products Offer Fortress has more than 50 suppliers that supply a wide range of electronic appliance and digital products to sell in retail stores. From the supplier list of Fortress, the product differentiation is typically high. It targets on undifferentiated market to satisfy different customers’ needs and wants. Besides, it also manufactures its own products named as â€Å"Fortress† brand to target the consumers with high-price sensitive. 2. 2) Market Leading HistoryTo achieve the large scale of the market shares, many innovative pioneering policies has(have) been created by Fortress, and some of these policies were later also adopted by other competitors. 3) Competitors Analysis 3. 1) Industry Perspective Being a robust market leader in the electronic retailing market, Fortress develops a wide brand network in the local market. Comparing with Fortress, Broadway is the closest market leader in the industry with narrower customer coverage . However, Broadway and Gome are good at different fields. In fact, they have quite different marketing strategies.Fortress aims at developing a wide distribution network and convenient locations for customers in order to create high accessi bility to the target market. 3. 2) Market Leader — Broadway (in 4P points of view) For Broadway, the marketing strategy is more trendy and fashionable. Like the topic of current TV commercials, â€Å"Rock-Happy-Life†, it aims to promote happiness in life with â€Å"rock† style, as â€Å"rock† style is considered as youngster music, so Broadway has given an impression to customers that it is a trendy and young brand, and aims at improving customers’ lifestyle by providing more digital devices.As the closest competitor for Fortress in the industry, it does not only pioneered in using celebrity as spokesman and some policies, but also follows most the pioneering policies made by Fortress, such as the free interest installment payment pioneered by Fortress. However, Fortress has also adapted some of the policies firstly made by Broadway, for example providing gift to customers. It offers products with similar brands and prices as Fortress does. 3. 3) M arket Challenger — Gome (in 4P points of view)Gome is the largest electronic appliance retailer in China. More than 740 outlets are widely-spread in China, including Hong Kong outlets. Gome has seen the potential business opportunity of electronic appliance with Chinese brands in Hong Kong, so Gome invaded in this industry with Market Challenger strategy to offer various the products with Chinese Brand at lower prices, which can attack Fortress’s weaknesses on this kind of products and avoid the leader and challenge in this market. It adopted similar promotion strategy as Fortress. 3. 4) Company ReviewStrength Fortress has won many awards, like Metropolis Daily Print Ad Award 2004, My Best HK Brands 2005, the HKMA and TVB Award for Marketing Excellence, top 10 favorable brands in HK by Guangzhou Daily, etc. The market share is large; hence Fortress is defined as Market Leader. Meanwhile, Broadway also promotes the similar brand campaign. Hence, it is defined as Market Leader. Weakness Fortress does not have much Chinese brand products. Gome provides similar home appliance products as Fortress does, but the brands are mainly China local top brands.Under this review, Gome attempts to attack this Fortress’s weakness, so Gome is defined as Market Challenger. 4) External Environment Analysis 4. 1) Geographical view Hong Kong is the city with large population and high density and its traffic systems also are complete and convenient. When customers want to do shopping here, they can travel to the nearest shop in short time. No matter where the shop it locates, it still have lots of potential customers around the shop place. It means that retailer shops may not need to open plenty of stores within the same areas, which can minimize the overall operating costs.Also, the geographical advantage of the location between Hong Kong and other cities in Mainland China is certainly vital to any business, in terms of logistics and tourism. 4. 2) Demographica l view According to Hong Kong Commercial Daily, Hong Kong’s population consists of approximately 50% of middle class family. This group generally is well-educated, willing to consume and has higher purchase power. In the society, they play a significant role as they have an enormous contribution on consumption. Furthermore, according to Census and Statistics Department, there are about 30% of people aged between 15 and 34.Also, from the latest population census conducted by Census and Statistics Department shown, the number of resident at mid-class increased up to 45 % of the overall working population ( refer to appendix 1). The mid-class is defined as the resident who earn in the range of $10,000 up to $40,000 in their monthly income in the working population. Of these residents at mid-class level, they mostly completed the secondary school certificates and more (than) a half of them completed post-secondary education.It is expected this group of people will continuous to g row for a decade, which is a business opportunity for the companies selling normal goods. In recent year, the number of marriages increased from 43 thousand people in 2005 to 52. 8 thousand people in 2010. The overall trend of the marriages was increase(d) when the economy was better. Also, the number of households was increased by 21 thousands. These two statistics shows the(that) there was an increasing trend of a new marriages forming a new â€Å"love nest†. 4. 3) PEST Analysis a. PoliticalAfter financial budget 2011-2011 released, John Tsang, financial secretary, announced that the government will distribute $6,000 cash to Hong Kong permanent residents aged 18 or above. The overall total cash amount of this policy is estimated to be around 37 billion. Minimum Wage policy is going to implement on the 1st May, 2011. This policy is purposed to set $28 per hour for all full-time and part time workers in Hong Kong. Companies anticipate that this may increase the labor cost for the companies which employ low-skilled workers. b. Economic Environment In 2011, Hong Kong economy is believed to be better than last year.John Tsang, Financial secretary, estimates that the economy will grow about 4% in 2011. With the low unemployment rate and the increased mid-point salary, the purchasing power of consumers will be stronger than ever. The Centa-City Index shows the housing price increased to 87. 52 of 100, compared with that of 2008, which was 55. 46. It reveals the housing price is estimated to approach the highest housing price in1997. From the report on rent index in Housing conducted by Rating and Valuation Department, there was also an increasing trend in the housing rent, which increased to around 130, compared with 100 of the index in 1999.It shows the rent was increasing during the past years. Meanwhile, The United States Federal Reserve Board implemented a second round of quantitative easing (QE2) with 600 billion US dollars. It is expected that QE2 will depreciate value of US dollars. Finally, Hong Kong currency will be depreciated due to the linked exchange rate system. Also, Renminbi (RMB) continues to appreciate year by year. If the tourists from other countries, especially mainland china, purchase goods in HK, they will enjoy the currency depreciation.Thus shopping in HK is so attractive to them but, for local resident, the inflation rate is anticipated to become serious in the near future. However, in March 2011, a serious earthquake in Japan has destroyed lots of factories. Japan will spend a long time to recovery all. Yet, most of electronic components are made by Japan corporations. It is expected that these components may be shortage in the future, so the final goods of these components, such as digital cameras and notebook, are also expected to be out of stock.The recent investigation of overall economic situation in Hong Kong, which was conducted by Census and Statistics Department, GDP per capita was 25430 U. S dollar and the number of visitor was 36 millions, around 50% of that was Mainland visitors. It is expected that the Hong Kong economy will grow steadily. Moreover, on 3rd May 2011, Census and Statistics Department announced the over-night visitors spent around $6700 HKD on average, whilst non-over-night visitors spend about $1800 HKD on average.Most of the retailers believe that the number of visitors will still increase continuously, and their consumption will definitely positively affect to their profits. c. Social Environment The â€Å"Collective Purchase† concept has been recently developed on the internet, which a large group of people who have a same interest on the specific product creates a stronger buyer power to the seller so as to force the seller to offer a discount by buying a large amount of the same item. However, this kind of strategy may encourage the consumers to wait until the success of the group formation.According to the report of WenWeiPo daily on 13rd Mar 201 1, 82 billion U. S. dollars worth of retail business is achieved through online transaction, which was about 1/10 of the retail industry’s trade. With the establishment of Taobao. com, the online shopping model of B2B, B2C and C2C has been developed well. The interaction of the business activities between Mainland Cities and Hong Kong is stronger than ever. More Hong Kong consumers are willing to order the goods on Taobao. com, because the products often are at lower prices than the retailer outlets in Hong Kong.And, more Mainland onliners are willing to spend money on Taobao. com to purchase the goods of Hong Kong local brands. This can be seen that the online business does not just only serve the local consumers only, but also the national consumers. The investigation of the number of hours spending on the internet conducted by Synovate, a marketing research company, shows the average minutes spending on the internet rose from 136 minutes to 145 minutes, during past 4 years . On the contrary, the average time spending on TV was less than that on the internet.Therefore, people tend to spend more time on the internet. People start to cultivate a â€Å"Green† environment. Many of them attempt to choose the electronic appliance with low electricity usage to save the environment. Being environmental-friendly, more companies start to implement environmentally sustainable strategies and practices, such as recyclable packaging, better pollution controls, more energy-efficient operations and so on. This can help companies to improve its(their) image and reputation. d. Technological EnvironmentOnline Shopping has become popular to the society, especially the advanced technology of mobile phone and the mobility internet services are widely used in Hong Kong. Hence, many companies have started to setup a website to operate their business on the internet at the same time. The product life of a digital product is expected to be shorter due to the fast develop ment of a new product model and technology . quickly replaced in a short period. The main reason is that the company frequently promotes the new product in order to compete with other rivals.For instance, IPad1 has already been implemented in last year, but now IPad2 is introduced in this year. It is estimated that the competitiveness in digital products will be more and more intensive in the coming future. 5) Consumer Review Consumer involvement of buying home appliances is mainly determined by, a) previous experience, b) interest and c) perceived risk of negative consequences a. Previous experience As the functions of home appliance are developed to be more advanced time by time, consumers may not be always familiar with the new latest functions when a brand-new product is launched to the market.Hence, it requires consumers to spend time on searching its information internally and externally on the brand’s differences of the home appliance products to deliberate its unfamil iar functions in a familiar product category. b. Interest Consumers’ interests can be derived from the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Home appliances aim at assisting the consumer’s daily life. This can be referred to the physiological needs, safety needs and social needs. Of physiological needs, rice cookers and microwaves are typical example(s) of consumers’ need recognition.Other electronic appliances, such as communication devices, can be fulfilled their social needs that interact with others. Safety concern of home appliances is always an importance factor to influence their buying decision, especially for the consumers who are married couples with children at the Family life-cycle stage. c. Potential risk of negative consequences Price is the key factor for the perceived risk of negative consequences, situation and social visibility, and they are directly related to the price; as the price of the product increases, so does the level of involvement.Som e of the large home appliance, such as refrigerator and television, are set to be at higher prices; therefore the tolerance of the risk of negative consequences will be lower. With home appliances at higher prices, consumer often requires longer length of time to make a decision. Thus, the level of consumer involvement can be concluded as relatively high. Dissonance-reducing buying behavior The price of electronic appliance is ranging from few hundred up to several thousands, and consumers purchase them infrequently.Moreover, the products among electronic appliance retailer industry are perceived with few brands differences with the major competitors. For instance, Fortress and other competitors provide the similar electronic appliances and brands. The products and services provided by Fortress and Boardway are similar, so there is few brand difference. Because of this, the consumers behave as Dissonance-reducing buying behavior and mainly response to the after-sale services, discou nt and promotion campaigns to make their purchasing decision. 6) SWOT Analysis . Strengths Selectively distributed retail stores in Hong Kong From the geographical view, the population density is relatively high in Hong Kong; therefore the number of outlets may not need to be widely distributed. Fortress is one of the leading retailers of electronic appliances in Hong Kong with over 67 outlets, which the accessibility for consumers is high. Thus, the channel power is created towards the suppliers, which can enjoy the competitive advantage of this channel partnering, and the setup and operation cost are optimized efficiently.As a result, consumers can enjoy the optimal price. Reliable Services Mix due to Excellent Comprehensive Training For retail market, service is heterogeneous and vital to the retail market. Fortress emphasizes on the personal selling, so it set up a â€Å"Fortress Academy† to provide a thorough and extensive staff training program for frontline salesperson s on â€Å"frontline consumer service†, â€Å"technical knowledge† and â€Å"management skill†. By joining this program, staffs can be inculcated with effective customer service, in-depth products knowledge and appropriate management skills.Accordingly, experienced and enthusiastic staff serves the customers confidently and convince the customers properly, and so they are the most valuable asset to Fortress. Additionally, Fortress developed â€Å"smart living†, therefore the products displayed in outlets are mostly like to be more advanced technology. Referring to the product life cycle, the new launched products should be displayed with an informative promotion strategy, so Fortress staff is(are) always well-prepared from their trainings. Fortress is a customer-orientated company. It provides differentiated after-sales services to customers.They include â€Å"24-month interest free installment† to release consumers’ burden; â€Å"Purchase- to-Play† service to plan and install AV products for consumers; â€Å"10-days Money Back Guarantee† to strengthen consumers’ confidence towards its products. Furthermore, Fortress provides mobile phone insurance to consumers, which can raise consumer’s confidence in purchasing mobile phone in Fortress. Meanwhile, consumers can get the refund or exchange if they were unsatisfied with the products. The outstanding services are highly recognized and awarded, as in â€Å"Best Customer Services Award† and â€Å"Hong Kong Merchant of Integrity†, by media and other xternal associations, which consumers should comfort with its services and integrity. Sole Agency Advantages Fortress has a number of exclusive agents to engage in a line of business without competition. For instance, Fortress gained the exclusive advantage from Stiebel Eltron, which mainly produces water heaters (See Reference), and launched the promotion campaign of limited quantity wit h it. During the past years, Fortress carried out this strategic alliance along with a number of brands, as in HPC and Hissense, to enlarge its market shares and the product category is enhanced more than the other competitors’ one .Since some consumers may have loyalty to some specific brands, Fortress will be the only distribution channel for them to purchase. This certainly brings a stronger bargaining position in Fortress. b. Weaknesses Difficult to differentiate from competitors Variety of products, quality of products and sales service, proficiency of products knowledge, and distribution of stores of Fortress are similar to its competitors, as in Boardway. It is easy for consumers to seek for complements from competitors due to the low switching cost.Moreover, consumers (have difficulty in) are difficult to distinguish between Fortress and its competitors, since Fortress focus on targeting the mass market and all previous unique marketing strategy were quickly adopted b y other market followers. Consequently, consumers may switch to other retailers based on souvenir, ad-hoc promotion or discounted price but it is not merely because of the brand of Fortress. Multifarious Products Offers Qualified products with low selling price are inclined to be more popular when the economy is downturn.Since the manufacturing cost and the delivery fee of products made in China are lower, the listed prices of China’s brand products are lower. For these reasons, Fortress may lose some price sensitive consumers due to narrow range of products from China’s brand. One of its competitors, Gome Electrical Appliances, is offering qualified China’s brand products with low price. Frontline salespeople are educated with basic and general products knowledge, which is not specific enough. Most buyers, especially the beginners and learners, can be satisfied with the sales service.Nonetheless, some professionals may be discouraged by salespeople’s lim ited products knowledge. Also, the professional specific components of a product, such as camera lens, are uncommon to display in Fortress. Consequently, Fortress may potentially lose these digital professionals, who may consume frequently. High Inventory Cost of Bulk Unsold Items For the unsold Electronic Appliance, they occupy large storage space, so it leads to higher inventory costs to store them. Compared with other electronic appliance companies, Fortress targets mass market, so various electronic appliances at bulk size will be offered.However, when these items are unsold, Fortress suffers a significant inventory cost and cannot utilize the cash flow appropriately. Hard to Hold Customer Loyalty Compared with the direct closest competitor- Broadway, Fortress has not launched the membership programme to build up the long term relationship and loyalty with customer in retail outlets, although there is a membership programme for the customer to do online shopping. From this, the customer loyalty may not be solidified strongly due to the weaker Customer Relationship Management.Even though Fortress co-operates MoneyBack ( ) to promote different kinds of special offers to the MoneyBack owners, this promotion channel of non-personal communication is simply not wide-spread to the target customer causing the promotion strategy and AIDA model may not be effective as expected. c. Opportunities Extra HKD$6,000 allowance Hong Kong government proposed to distribute 6,000 for each citizen who is aged 18 or above. It can absolutely induce citizens, especially youngsters, to consume more.From Hong Kong China News Agency survey shown, about 40% of respondents aged between 18 and 30 who prefer to spend this money on their favor digital products including iPhone and cameras, therefore it is definitely a significant potential opportunity to retailer companies. Trend of collective buying Youngsters in Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong prefer collective buying through the i nternet rather than purchasing in retail shops. According to the Phoenix News, there is a large potential booming trend of collective buying.They can purchase products in a special discount throughout the collective buying. Fortress can take the advantage of the trend to expand the market share in Hong Kong and to promote its products simultaneously. By using the developed and faultless online sales platform, Fortress can implement the idea of collective buying inexpensively. Green concept In recent years, public’s concern on environmental issue has been aroused. Companies like CLP Power Hong Kong Limited and EPS Company have adopted policies to promote their company products and services.For instance, CLP has launched several programs like â€Å"Old Appliances Recycling Program† and â€Å"Energy Saving Proposal† provided from their professionals; besides, EPS has launched the â€Å"EPS iDo† to promote the donation to plant trees in Hong Kong urban distri cts, ever since the program was launched they have already planted more than 2600 trees. By employing green concept, companies can develop a positive image towards public and create a sustainable company income in the future. d. Threats Loss of Japanese suppliers Owing to the disastrous earthquake in Japan, most of the electronic suppliers were suspended.The cost of related complements may increase due to the high demand. In the meantime, the cost of products may be raised and, consequently, Fortress may earn less. Vertical Channel Conflict Online business has been adopted by companies including the direct suppliers. Online retail business can easily be substituted by these mature shopping platforms. Thus, most competitors attempt to prevent from this online business to avoid vertical channel conflict. It is because suppliers may directly distribute their product though the internet channel.All these may affect the online business of Fortress. 7) Conclusion and Recommendations 7. 1) Target Market and Positioning Strategies The purposed promotion campaign aims at targeting those who planned to get married and are going to purchase or renovate their houses aged between 27 and 37 in the coming 6 months. The reasons why this segment is chosen are because the targeted customers are most likely to purchase numerous new home appliances; therefore they have the highest possibility to contribute revenues to Fortress.This target segment is derived from the above analysis with supporting figures and facts, thus it is measurable, accessible and actionable. Unmarried couples can enjoy discounted prices through this promotion campaign. This campaign consists of bundle pricing strategy and niche marketing strategy. To further illustrate, the idea is that the target customers will be acknowledged this package through different promotion channels to motive the collective buying behavior on Fortress online shopping website. This package consists of three product categories.It a llows customers to select one product in each category of A, B and C on a first-come-first-serve basis with limited time and quantity. Goal & Marketing objective This package is purposed to optimize the inventory spaces and the warehouse management efficiency. It generally is for consumers to select the three most favorite products from the product list of washing machine, refrigerator and TV respectively. The product list is suggested to contain clearance items with energy-saving label, since the Green environmental friendly starts to penetrate to the public.This package is suggested to offer special discounts to fiance couples, so as to build up a long term relationship with them. By launching this, it is expected to increase the market share by 6% and significantly increases the revenue by 8% in a short time. 7. 2) Marketing mix programs a) Product This promotion mainly emphasizes on cleansing the warehouse, which is one of the weaknesses of Fortress, so the product list should c ontain high and low brands of home appliances with bulky size, such as air conditioner and washing machine, in each category of the product list promoted.The quantity in each category should be sold based on the number of products left in the warehouse. The selected products in each category will be reserved by customers on first-come-first-serve basis. b) Price The bundle pricing strategy & Promotional Pricing The promotional pricing strategy is applied to the package, this temporarily promotion to offer discounts from normal prices for increasing sales and reducing inventories. The bundle pricing strategy is implemented in this campaign promotion to offer discounted price by purchasing a bundle of home appliances – promoted package.Based on political analysis, a couple will receive HKD$12,000 from HKSAR government. This policy can induce unmarried couple to consume in this campaign. The bundle price of television, washing machine and refrigerator (â€Å"A+B+C†) is se t to be HK$13,140, which means love forever in Cantonese implication. c) Place As for Market factors, the fiance couples would likely own or rent a new house for their new life, so Fortress may promote its campaign through the channels of wedding services as follows. Physical distribution–Strategic Channel AlliancesFortress can use the existing channels to promote this campaign. For instance, Fortress may co-operate with wedding consulting companies, solicitors, interior design companies and property agent to deliver this message, since the target customers may go through these two channels to organize their wedding. All these purposed channels needed to reach an agreement Moreover, according to the investigation of the time spending on the Internet, people spent their time on the Internet more than that of TV.Thus, Fortress may consider the Internet advertisements to draw the target customer attentions, and this is much cheaper than the TV ads. There are some existing famous forums, such as HK Discuss Forum and Uwants, to discuss the plan for wedding issues. Hence, Fortress may advertise its campaign to these forums and support the environmental friendly trend. For other competitors, many of them have not established the online store on the internet and mainly focus on the digital devices rather than home appliances; therefore this promotion campaign is difficult to be imitated due to the barrier of entry.Logistics After the end of campaign, Fortress will consolidate all the ordered products and deliver them in a short time, so it lowers the transportation cost, and it fully utilize the logistics resources. Make use of social network The popularity of the social network, such as Facebook, can be shown by the statistic report of Facebook in year 2010. It was reported that the number of Facebook user in Hong Kong on Dec 31st 2010 has reached 3. 67Millions people. Since the Fan pages of Fortress on Facebook has been established 2 months ago, the number of fans was only around 1650 people who â€Å"Like† this page.The effectiveness is not explosive enough to arouse the attention of the public. Therefore, it is suggested that, in order to grasp the channel effectively, when the pages on Facebook reach a certain amount of fans, Fortress will offer coupons or gifts through their e-mail addresses. With more people â€Å"Like† this page, this channel can raise the awareness of a new product arrival effectively and efficiently with several other promotional channels together. d) Promotions Informative promotion through online channel and strategy alliances Posters with the detail of the program are suggested to be posted on the Facebook communication channel.Fortress can make use of this online instant communication platform in order to convey the most updated information to the customers. Besides, in order to arouse people’s interest on this program, all of the retail shops will display the promotion poster on the eye -catching position. Moreover, leaflets will be distributed to the marketing alliances mentioned in the previous part; these leaflets will be displayed in their information desk or even attached to their promotion documents. Emotional appeals on the promotion campaignIt is recommended to use emotional appeals to move the fiance couple. In the poster, it is suggested to use the emotional slogan emphasizing on the eternity love and the care of husbands towards the wife to touch the target customers. 8) Marketing Calendar 9) Appendix Appendix 1 Extract of 1/2011 Population Report, Census and Statistics Department Appendix 2 Extract of Marriage numbers in Hong Kong from Census and Statistics Department Appendix 3 Poster suggested to be used in the promotional campaign Appendix 4Extract of property price movement between 2002 and 2010 by Centaline Property Appendix 5 Top 30 countries with highest number of Facebook users (31st Dec 2010 – data from Facebook) Rank| Country| Number of Facebook users Dec 31st 2008| Number of Facebook users Dec 31st 2009| Number of Facebook users Dec 31st 2010| 12 month growth %| 24 month growth %| 1| USA| 42,078,960| 101,303,240| 145,749,580| 43. 90%| 246. 40%| 2| Indonesia| 897,040| 14,681,580| 32,129,460| 118. 80%| 3481. 70%| 3| UK| 14,937,180| 22,625,300| 28,661,600| 26. 70%| 91. 0%| 4| Turkey| 7,934,340| 16,943,780| 24,163,600| 42. 60%| 204. 50%| 5| France| 6,587,240| 14,290,700| 20,469,420| 43. 20%| 210. 70%| 6| Philippines| 390,700| 8,387,560| 18,901,900| 125. 40%| 4738%| †¦|   |   |   |   |   |   | 27| Hong Kong| 1,458,520| 2,727,980| 3,673,580| 34. 70%| 151. 90%| 10) Reference [1] Broadway – Company Background http://www. broadway. com. hk/node/502 [2] Broadway – Shop Locator http://www. broadway. com. hk/shop [3]Centaline Property – Centadata http://www. centadata. com/cci/cci. htm [4]CLP Hong Kong:Old Appliance Recycling Program ttps://www. clponline. com. hk/myHome/EcoLivingIdeas/R ecyclingProgram/Pages/Default. aspx? lang=en [5]CnYes. com: iPad2 5 http://news. cnyes. com/Content/20110418/KDW8J0QVCEX16. shtml [6] Fortress homepage – Company Background http://www. fortress. com. hk/fortress/content/ABOUT_US/en/index. html? hs_ctn_ref=ABOUT_US [7] Fortress – Store Locator http://www. fortress. com. hk/fortress/jsp/sys/Sf_render. jsp? hf_s_id=FT11&hf_srv_id=Nv_fstore_loc&hf_rand=2107567796. [8]Gome – Electrical Appliances Holding Limited Homepage http://www. gome. com. k/ [9]Hong Kong Commercial Daily: http://www. hkcd. com. hk/content/2010-06/07/content_2536481. htm [10] Hong Kong Headline Daily: 49% http://news. hkheadline. com/dailynews/content_hk/2011/01/14/136085. asp [11]Hong Kong Information Services Department: News Release http://www. info. gov. hk/gia/general/201104/13/P201104130221. htm [12]Hotpool: poster of DHE SL http://www. hotpool. com. hk/msg. php? id=234 [13] Nick burcher: Latest Facebook usage figures http://www. nickburc her. com/2011/01/facebook-usage-statistics-dec-31st-2010. tm l [14] SingTao: 610 http://hk. news. yahoo. com/article/110309/3/n4m8. html [15] Wenwei: http://info. wenweipo. com/index. php/? action-viewnews-itemid-43284 [16]Hong Kong China News Agency: http://www. hkcna. hk/content/2011/0331/93831. shtml Group photos Ivan Alen Raine Ting Ting Phoenix Jessica Michael Janet ——————————————– [ 1 ]. http://www. broadway. com. hk/shop (Shop location distribution) [ 2 ]. http://finance. ifeng. com/money/wealth/millionaire/20110401/3800251. shtml