Research Indicates Essay

Research indicates that the characteristics we are born with have much more influence on our personality and development than any experiences we may have in our life. Every people in our life born with some parametrics, like health, mental power and another ones. Some people think that the initial characteristics influence on our development and personality. I agree with it, but I think that any experience in our life have more impact too. Let us consider it. First of all, people learn anything during whole life. When people born they learn how to eat, how to move, how to read, write and another. All of these depend on our life experience, not on our characteristics. Secondly, each time when we make mistake, we try to analyze why it happened and how to prevent mistakes like this. We are developing according our mistakes. Also, parents have greatest influence on their children personality as from the early ages they teach children every aspects of life. Parents explain to their children what is right, what is wrong. According to this, children develop their positive or negative worldview. Also person who has good characteristics will study, work hard and develop his experience it will influence his development in life. In conclusion, I believe that the life experience has a great influence on our character and the man is never too old to learn. Is your memory changing with age? People who believe they have a poor memory are usually no worse at remembering than whose who believe they have a good memory. One theory for this is that people are influenced by their general beliefs about how memory changes with age. If you believe your memory will get worse as you grow older, you will pay more attention to memory failures and each bout of forgetfulness will reinforce your belief that your memory is getting worse. Common everyday memory failures tend to be judged more harshly when these failures belong to an older person. A large scale study over a ten year period found that cognitive decline is not a normal part of aging for most elderly people. 70% of the adults in the study showed no decline in memory. What has been found is that there are factors that may affect memory in older adults. These are high blood pressure, obesity and smoking. Is your memory changing with age?

Ethical Issues in Businesses Today Essay

Ethical issues in businesses today There are a million ethical issues in today’s businesses and unfortunately there is no perfect decision measurement for all these ethical issues in business. The ethical issues in international businesses are much more complicated and much more delicate, along with being tenfold in numbers. According to Wiley (1995), â€Å"ethics is concerned with moral obligation, responsibility, and social Justice. † She goes on to say that â€Å"ethics reflects the character of the individual and more con temporarily per haps, the character of the business firm, which is a collection of individuals. Mauro et all, 1999) It is evident that ethics play such a crucial role in businesses if we consider the instances like the â€Å"Enron company’s ethical break down†. Not only in â€Å"Enron†, but Dilemmas involving discrimination, harassment, fraud, contractual breaches, favouritism and consistent policies regarding pay, rewards and discipline are common occurrences in many organizations. (Hartel, C. E. J, Fujimoto, Y, 2010) â€Å"Industry Wide Ethical Issues in Business Following is a list of industry wide ethical issues in businesses. The problem with these ethical issues in business is that they are not only really routine and frequent ut they are also more wide-spread Bribing powerful officials in order to get bids and tenders accepted and bribing competitor employees to get informational leaks is a serious ethical issue in business. In fact, it is a crime that is legally punishable in most countries today. Labor related issues like gender discrimination at workplace, employee harassment, minority community participation, working conditions and child labor are also some general ethical issues in busines

Paradise Now and Walk on Water Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Paradise Now and Walk on Water - Research Paper Example 'Paradise Now’ and ‘Walk on Water’ Primarily, in ‘Paradise Now’ two Palestinian terrorists, brothers Said and Khaled went to Tel-Aviv, and this geographical and historical context determined a plot of the whole story because they needed to behave themselves like standard Jewish people. Nevertheless, in ‘Walk on Water’ Mossad agent, Eyal, needed to behave himself normally as for killing aged Nazi officer, therefore, his memory must have been active in terms of Holocaust and the Second World War, that is why his activity as a secret agent was determined by not geographical and social, but historical and cultural context. History is inextricable from the present and from current conflicts in the Middle East. In the sub-chapter that goes below we will study how the historical past affects the present in two works, ‘Paradise Now’ and ‘Walk on Water.’ From the very beginning it would go Israeli/Palestinian historical trauma, broadly – Jewish/Muslim; then, we will be focused on Holocaust trauma in perception of nowadays people, aged Nazi and young Mossad agent. Initially, in ‘Paradise Now’ two persons, Muslims and Palestinian Said and Khaled decided to commit suicide terrorism at Tel-Aviv. Obviously, these guys were so cruel because of permanent war between Israeli/Jewish and Palestinian/Muslim in the Middle East.However, they realized in a culmination of film that love, personal attitudes, fear, and personal death are much more important for Said and Khaled than all ideological implications of dogmatic religions, for example, Muslim fundamentalism and Judaist determinism. Furthermore, in ‘Walk on Water’ there was also a big trauma of Holocaust, and that is why young agent of Mossad decided to kill aged Nazi officer; from the other perspective, he felt in love with his grandsons, and failed to kill everybody. Analogically, human factor stopped the hostility and ideological determinism concerning truly troubled relations that could occur between Nazi officer and Mossad agent, but the film proves that when people obt ain their human faces with dignity it is so hard to give up being individual person – instead of being blocked by ideological masks. The films ‘Walk on Water’ and ‘Paradise Now’ centrally ‘stage’ the Israeli and the Palestinian, respectively, as soldiers. In this sub-chapter we will discuss the ways in which the films present what can be a stereotype of the Israeli Mossad agent and the Palestinian ‘terrorist’ in order to critique these images we frequently see repeated in cultural media. Accordingly, we firstly will give an analysis to ‘Paradise Now’ and then ‘Walk on Water;’ ultimately, it will be a contrast and compare implications from these two films in order to answer on proposed question about two big stereotypes of the Middle East in worldwide cinema – Israeli Mossad agent and Palestinian ‘terrorist.’ Firstly, ‘Paradise Now’ by Hanu Abu-Assad, 2005, represente d a stereotype on Palestinian terrorists, brothers Said and Khaled, in a deconstructive manner, full of irony, criticism, absurd, and skepticism. We do not want to retell the whole story’s plot now, but we will be concentrated on the most vital suggestions and key-points. There were some of them, the most crucial ones. Initially, there was a woman called Suha, Said’s love. Then, it appeared that Said’s father was ‘ameel,’ a collaborator working with Israeli. Also, Said cancelled his suicide attack while he saw a child on board. Therefore, some key-points are relevant in

Business Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Analysis - Essay Example The cash flow for a particular period reflects the flow of cash in future for that period. But due to a loss in the time value of money, the present value of the cash flow is actually less than the actual value. To have a realistic view of the cash flows the actual values need to be converted into what are called as the Present Values. The factor by which the actual value is multiplied to calculate the present value is called the Discount Factor. Discount factor lies between 0 and 1. It is determined by the rate of return on capital during a given period and can be calculated using compounding (Johnson, Derek). Using the net present value approach, it can be found out that the net cash flows are positive in all quarters and the initial investment is also recovered within a quarter. The Net present value is hence positive and comes out as  £5,030,687. The NPV (Net Present value) calculations can be done using an excel spread sheet. An extract of the same is shown in Figure 2.1. Thus, it can be concluded from this that, the boutique must go with the development plan. There are several key factors that can affect the cash flows. One of them is the Build-up factor. If the build-up factor becomes negative i.e. there is a decrease in income in the following quarters due to some reason, the NPV decreases. The NPV turns negative at -57% build-up factor for each quarter as shown in Figure 3.1. This is where the decision gets reversed. This could happen in case of adverse external circumstances. The second factor which can affect cash flow is Cost of Sales. If due to an increase in raw material costs or due to some other factors, Cost of Sales rise as much as 89% of the sales, the NPV becomes negative and the decision has to be reversed. This is shown in Figure 3.2. Thirdly, the increase in rent can have an impact on net cash flows especially in wake of continuously rising real estate prices. If the rent increases to  £1427 per sq. m.,

Please write a one page imaginary story reporting your company's Research Paper

Please write a one page imaginary story reporting your company's triumphant turnaround - Research Paper Example Furthermore, my company did not have an efficient marketing strategy that could enable it make some sales, hence achieving profitability. Based on these facts, my company was almost collapsing, to the point of almost being declared bankrupt by the courts. To prevent the company from being declared bankrupt, the management had to seek a partnership with Orange Inclusive, a technological company responsible for the production of computer software. Orange is a multinational company with branches all over the world, and hence it was a viable partner for my organization (Robbins and Coulter, 2005). Furthermore, the company was engaged in developing soft ware products, and hence Carlstron could use the technology of the company to improve its mobile handsets, and develop smart phones with the capability of competing with Apples and Samsung. The partnership between Orange and Carlstron was a merger, with Orange paying off all the debts of Carlstron. This move proved to be very successful, because the company was able to innovate and improve on the quality of its phones, introducing android technology, and special features such as internet games and social networking sites in the phone. Furthermore, the Carlstron improved on its marketing strategy by centering on a theme, Smart phones, for smart people. On this basis, the customers of the organization identified the phones with smartness. This made it possible for the organization to increase its market share, and profits once again. Carlstron is now a successful company, operating under Orange

Strategic Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategic Leadership - Essay Example From the above definition or explanation, real strategic leadership therefore means taking responsibility for the future but not forgetting what is happening today. It involves creativity, planning, and intuition to help reach desired and set goals. This form of leadership contains aspects of direct and organization leadership but the difference leis in the fact that strategic leadership affects more people, commits more resources and has wider-ranging consequences in both space and time. Thus making it of prime importance when it comes to the success of businesses or organizations. The very first is that strategic leadership encourages and promotes feedback. He explains strategically led companies depend on free flow of information and opinion and given the fact that a company is a complex, self-organizing and self-correcting system, any breach in feedback loops will be a threat to the company and this will affect growth. In other words communication, free discussions between all levels within and without the organization is a necessity. This will encourage intergrity, identity and focus. Secondly strategic leadership encourages and promotes loyalty and prevents powers struggle. According to Christensen man is a territorial and hierarchical being. He defines his territory, defends it and esteems it above all. When he finds himself in a context where a common strategy is not defined and communicated to him, he will struggle to protect his personal interests at the expense of the company. Common strategy therefore must be defined and communicated to the entire staff so as to motivate them to perform and fight for the interest of the company against competitors. He goes further to say strategic leadership is important for organizations and businesses because it defines processes and patterns. In the absence of this power struggles, bureaucracy, demotivation and wasted time could result. The tasks and

On the Privatization of IRS Tax Debt Collection Essay

On the Privatization of IRS Tax Debt Collection - Essay Example Now, what does this new development in the tax paying system tells the American people This tells Americans that despite being the world's most powerful country, the American government has its weaknesses and tax debt collection is one of them. In an ideal world, IRS as the primary handler of the country's revenues should have been capable and responsible to do its functions properly. Although the IRS fronts a positive face in light of this recent development for the privatization strategy, it does not hide the fact that in seeking the services of private companies, they are indirectly admitting incompetence or ineffectiveness on their recent and previous tax collection systems. Why seek the services of private sectors when the government agency itself should be or should have been capable given the capabilities and resources of the country Does it also mean that the employees of IRS are not capable enough to encompass the responsibilities of the government agency That they lack the needed skilled people in their side In this instance, public service has acknowledged defeat to private services. One other great concern of critics is that taxpayer's rights are greatly put at risk of violations on their rights given under this scheme.

Should Polygyamy be against the Law Research Paper

Should Polygyamy be against the Law - Research Paper Example This paper explores the legality of polygamy marriages, and whether the practice, should be tolerated in the society. History of Polygamy in the American society Gibson (2006) avers polygamy practices have formed a significant part of the American culture for almost three centuries. The practice is believed to have started among the ancient participants of the Church, which at the time was being led by Joseph Smith, who helped found the ministry in the early 1800s. Historians consider that Church adherents started polygamy around 1835 (Bradley, Saunders & William, 2005. The practice was initially shrouded in secrecy, before it became widespread in the society immediately after. Decades after the killing of Smith in late 1880s, the second in command of the ministry, Brigham Young, started speaking publicly about the practice during the mid-1850s. Nevertheless, participation was technically restricted by strong cultural norms, with less than a fifth of the church adherents engaging in the practice during its climax years of the 1850s (Ross, 2011). In early 1862, Congress ratified the initial of several legislations systematically geared at bringing to an end the trend by outlawing polygamy. These developments dealt the church a major financial blow, and even denying women of their voting rights in Utah. Almost two decades later, an adherent of the ministry challenged the legality of anti-polygamy legislations on religious justifications; however, the Supreme Court maintained that the unconstitutionality of polygamy was beyond doubt, and that the various government agencies could work to limit religious rights and privileges of the adherents. The congressional decrees were largely effective in terminating polygamy. This forced the Church to abandon the clamor for polygamy practices on September 25, 1890. At the same time, Church President Wilford Woodruff made public a formal statement referred to as â€Å"the Manifesto† (Bradley, Saunders & William, 2005). In 1894, Congress approved the Utah Enabling Act, which allowed Utah to begin processes aimed at acquiring the position of statehood, based upon the government constitution providing for an irrevocable decree outlawing polygamy. United States Congress approved Utah statehood two years later, a development that led to the implementation of the state constitution, which permanently outlawed polygamy practices within its jurisdiction. Additionally, polygamy was also classified as a crime by decree. After â€Å"the Manifesto,† was made public, the religious group stopped polygamy practices and started to detach polygamists from its flock. Eventually, religious factions resented the new development leading to the formation of â€Å"Fundamentalists† groups (Groleau, 2008). Bradley, Saunders and William (2005) indicate fundamentalists backed away to remote communities in an attempt to shun what they believed to be mass maltreatment. Since then, the state authorities have car ried out episodic mass apprehending and questionings on communities practicing polygamy. For instance, mass apprehending was implemented in 1935, and during the end of World War II. Arizona on its part carried out the largest crackdown yet on the community in 1953 (Cole, 2011). Although, the infamous Short Creek Raid led to the apprehending and arraignment

Multinational competitin and Corporate Social Responsibility analysis Essay - 1

Multinational competitin and Corporate Social Responsibility analysis of Burberry - Essay Example The design, development, production and selling of the products of the company are all based in United Kingdom. However, the fabric and other material for the manufacturing of the products are done on the company own facilities in United Kingdom (Burberry, 2015a; Reuters, 2015). At present the international, apparel, accessories market and market for luxury goods have shown a low growth from the 2007 to the year 200, but from the year 2010 the entire market has witnessed some acceleration and reached up to moderate growth and predictions said that the market is expected to be stable by the end of 2016. The total revenue of the apparel, accessories and luxury goods global market is expected around 1,778.5 billion for the year 2011. The figures represent a 3% CAGR (compound annual growth rate). The report also revealed that the sale of the apparels is the most lucrative one in the global market of apparel, accessories and luxury goods in the year 2011 and it has captured the 66.1% of the overall value of the market in terms of revenue. In this perspective, the market performance is forecasted to accelerate in coming five years with an expected compound annual growth rate of 3.9% and with such percentage the market value is driven to reach the level of 2155.1 billion by the end of the year 2016. When it comes to Burberry, the focus of the company is towards several different segments in the population but the theme of the company is same that is, it is inclined toward functional luxury. Burberry foes not only serve to the young and adults but also the company has good range luxurious products for kids. At present the main focus of the company is three main regions. The Asia Pacific region represent the 39% of wholesale and retail revenue, the European, African and Middle Eastern region along with India (EMEIA) hold 36% of the revenues where as the contribution of America is 25% in the total revenue of Burberry

JPMorgan Chase Paper Essay Example for Free

JPMorgan Chase Paper Essay In the summer of 2012, JPMorgan Chase, the largest leading U. S. bank, announced trading losses from investment decisions made by its Chief Investment Office (CIO) of $5. 8 billion. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was provided falsified first quarter reports that hidden this massive loss. Discuss how administrative agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) take action in order to be effective in preventing high-risk gambles in securities / banking, a foundation of the economy. In the summer of 2012, JPMorgan Chase, the largest leading U. S. bank, make known trading losses from investment verdict made by its Chief Investment Office (CIO) of $5. 8 billion. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was provided falsified first quarter reports that concealed this enormous loss. The duty of the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission is to protect investors, uphold fair, organize, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation. Obligatory public companies to disclose meaningful financial information to the public is an effective move toward the SEC takes in order to assure the securities of this nation (U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission). These assist investors prevent high-risk gambles and allows them to make the right decisions when deciding on which companies to invest in. The Commodity Future Trading Commission regulates the product futures and options markets. Its target includes the promotion of competitive and efficient futures markets and the protection of investors against manipulation, abusive trade scheme and fraud (U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission). Both the SEC and the CFTC played a role in investigating the massive trading losses in the case of JPMorgan Chase. The SEC’s investigation could only focus on the suitability and completeness of JPMorgan Chase financial reporting and other public disclosures. However; SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro stated that her agencys investigation is limited, because the trades happened in divisions of the banking giant that arent subject to SEC regulation (CNN Money). The leader of CFTC, Gary Gensler, give an opinion that â€Å"JPMorgans losses are worth looking into, because as a U. S. bank, it is an entity with direct admission to the Federal Reserves discount window and federal deposit insurance (CNN Money). Determine the elements of a valid contract, and discuss how consumers and banks each have a duty of good faith and fair dealing in the banking relationship. A contract is a legally obligatory promise or set of promises (Bagley, C. 2013). If this promise is broken, either party involved can be legally responsible and take the other party to court. There are four basic elements in the creation of a valid contract. The first consist of an agreement between the parties involved, by an presented offer and acceptance. The second states that the parties’ promises must be supported by something of worth, known as consideration. The third advises both parties must have the ability to enter into a contract. The fourth element states the contract must have a legal purpose (Bagley, C 2013). The duty of good faith and good dealing is implied in every contract. In recent years the mortgage industry has been seen as a prime example of how consumers and banks need to better understand and adhere to duty of good faith and good dealings. Consumers had the responsibility of understanding the contracts involved in borrowing the money needed for their homes. Banks had the responsibility of knowing who they should lend money to, and the conditions of the rates involved on the loans provided. Relationships between banks and consumers could have been avoided if the duty of good faith and good dealing was implemented on contracts granted between the banks and consumers. Compare and contrast the differences between intentional and negligent tort actions A tort is a body of rights, and obligations that is applied by courts in civil proceedings to provide relief for persons who have suffered harm. Tort means civil wrong resulting in injury to a person or property (Bagley, C. 2013). An intentional tort action is when there is intent to cause harm to a person or property . Intentional torts include things like assault and battery, slander, false imprisonment, libel, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. These torts are often, but not always, the case that an intentional tort is also a criminal act (Bagley, C. 2013). A negligent tort action is when a person is careless to his or her own actions and did not intend to cause harm to a person or property. Even though that person is negligent, he or she is still held legally responsible because of their careless actions. To illustrate the difference between negligence and an intentional tort, let’s look at an example with two different scenarios. The plaintiff is a woman named Ramona, and in both cases, she is suing because of a broken leg. state of affair #1: Ramona is walking down the aisle of Wal-Mart store when she slips and falls on a puddle of cooking oils. The owner of the store was negligent for not cleaning up the spill. Even though the store owner did not intend for Ramona to get hurt, he is still liable for her broken led because his negligence lead to her injury. Scenario #2: Molly is walking to her car when she is assaulted by a man who wants to steal her wallet. The assailant shoves her to the ground, and she breaks her wrist as a result of the attack. The police later catch the assailant, and Molly sues him for her injuries. In both cases the end result is the same; Ramona end up with a broken leg. Both defendants can be held liable for Ramona injuries, but for different reasons. The store owner is liable because he failed to clean up the spilled of oils, which a reasonable person would have done. The assaulter is liable because they intentionally caused harm to Molly by pushing her. Discuss the tort action of â€Å"Interference with Contractual Relations and Participating in a Breach of Fiduciary duty† and, if the bank you’ve chosen were to behave as JP Morgan did, would you be able to prevail in such a tort action. The interference with contractual relations defends the right to enjoy the benefits of legally binding agreements (Bagley, C 2013). The existence of a contract at the time of the assumed interference is what separates tortuous interference with contract from the more complicated to establish tortuous interference with prospective contractual relations. If good grounds exist for the interference, such as the case with JP Morgan, then the defendant would not be liable. With the advent of mobile banking, discuss how banks have protected the software that allows for online transaction to occur through automation. The majority banks inform consumers that they are protected by the Online Banking Security Guarantee, which covers the security of your information and bank accounts. Banks hold a liability of making sure the consumers security is protected, and if dishonored most banks will guarantee up to a 100 percent against theft of your funds from online banking services. While many worry about online banking, there’s good news that mobile banking is to some extent secure just for the reason that there are so numerous variations of banking apps and methods in the market. A thief has no way of predicting which technique a possible victim might use. Cited Work U. S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. (n. d. ). Retrieved March 1, 2013, from U. S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission: http://www. cftc. gov/index. htm CNN Money (n. d. ). Retrieved March 1, 2013, from http://money. cnn. com/2012/05/22/news/economy/jp-morgan-senate/index. htm U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission. (n. d. ). Retrieved March 1, 2013, from U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission: http://www. sec. gov/ Bagley, C. (2013). Managers and the Legal Environment: Strategies for the 21st Century, 7th Edition. Mason: South-Western, Cengage Learning.

Examining whether glaxoSmithKline has successful internal innovation

Examining whether glaxoSmithKline has successful internal innovation 1) GSK is a leader in the pharmaceuticals industry with 7 per cent of the world market. Its mission is to better the quality of human life so that the people feel better, live longer and is able to perform the tasks assigned to them properly. This can only be achieved by proper planning and implementation of research and development programmes. GSKs purpose of merger was to improve R D (as it would also obtain technology from outside) because it looks to excel in internal innovation by making use of the knowledge and learning provided by individuals of other organisations. These individuals might be experienced, trained, flexible, committed and help the firm to accomplish its goals which is its primary objective. The main aim of internal innovation is to outperform its competition by implementing new ideas into developing new and better products which are sustainable in the market. GSK focuses on providing drugs at a cheaper rate to the developing countries. GSKs strategy is to nurtu re, distribute and make things easier. It implements its strategies by employing a large number of people in different countries. The employees research to produce new pharmaceuticals to treat the diseases focused on. However, GSK is facing a problem of patent expiry. It has 30 patented drugs that are nearing expiry. So it wants to redefine its range of drugs by focussing on its R D. The individuals involved must have a positive attitude and should be willing to take risks. They should learn from each other and also understand what others are doing. That would help in implementation. Implementation involves the proper utilisation of resources and capabilities of a firm. It involves the management of innovation and focuses on managing politics, control and fighting with change. 2) GlaxoSmithKline wants to ensure that the firm focuses on the best science. It realised that to be successful in future, it needs to be more innovative. So it reorganised its research and development area to improve efficiency and accomplish its goals. It created 70 Discovery Performance Units (DPUs) which focussed on eight therapy areas for future growth of the company. However, GSK successfully completed or extended 21 new drug discoveries in the year 2008. Innovation involves the implementation of ideas into some new product and the new product leads to new opportunities. In case of GSK, it would generate more revenue if the ideas are implemented properly. New technology provides a competitive edge to the firm. The four elements of implementation are leadership, engagement, alignment and extension. The 70 DPUs would affect these four elements. The DPUs are compact, fully authorised, determined and integrated teams which are responsible for a small part of the pipeline associated with the production of a drug. The teams include scientists, marketing specialists, engineers and others from key business domains to work on innovations. The exchange of ideas amongst its own scientists through building alliances and meetings are encouraged. They showcase different compounds and potential products. R D groups of individuals gather and learn about new products and processes. In case of GSK, leadership would focus on creating procedures for innovation and distribute sufficient resources for crucial activities. It would help in the induction of supportive systems and policies and set up adequate infrastructure for achieving the required goals. Engagement would focus on building a knowledge based cultu re, education, progress and mentoring. Alignment would help in building a competent organisation and would bind rewards to accomplishments. Extension would help in examining organisational capabilities and search for other prospects. It would also develop and share lessons learnt. Implementation ensures that the goals and support of management are understood properly. It also involves looking out for people who possess the necessary skills required to meet the project objectives. The internal culture and external environment of GSK would also affect the implementation effort. We can expect disinterest, apprehensions, satisfaction, hostility and competition for resources. The teams might become satisfied with their achievements and their ideas could be clashing with each other. They may lack the necessary skills. This would hinder the future growth of the firm and it would not be able to accomplish its goals. However, engagement would help them overcome the problem. Implementation also involves setting up of scrutinising system which addresses possible technical and market uncertainties arising out of radical, continuous change and competition from the external environment. Radical change involves high risk whereas continuous change involves low to medium risk. This is because radical change has a wider impact on the firm as the failure of the product will demotivate the firm and decrease its revenues whereas continuous change has a marginal impact on the firm because improvements are made to the existing product or service. Radical change involves major streamlining of the firm, product line or market. The case study shows that GSK has a background and the processes that support innovation. It also hires individuals to conduct research and develop new products, encourages employees to try out new ideas, undertake risks and experiment. The first part of these processes involves constructing a structure for innovation. Proper teams and co-ordination between different units in an organisation like GSK are needed for the successful implementation. It needs to organise special training and development programmes for the employees, providing technical knowledge about the product, programmes on marketing the product, focus on building new skills in employees and encouraging cross functional activities. 3) GSK needs to evaluate its total organisational performance because it is large, the external environment factors (political, social, economical, technological and competitive factors), the strategic environment, information systems and structural analysis. An organisation involves human, physical, financial and information resources and how these resources are used in the management, operations, production and integration of ideas and actions. The output is the products and services. However, it needs a process to evaluate the diverse ideas and products because it produces far more ideas and products than it can follow at any given time. Cost plays a crucial role when it comes to evaluating an idea. GSK also needs to evaluate the innovation cost which is the internal cost to develop and distribute and also the true cost to the customer to purchase and use. It needs to calculate the costs for development and marketing, market penetration and sales when evaluating a new product and service. It needs a business plan (expected revenue, cost of producing a product or service and profits to be generated) to commercialise the ideas. The evaluation process helps GSK in assessing the kind of innovations it should continue supporting or initiate support for. The team promoting the product should have the ability to justify the product at each step of the process. It should continue with ideas or products that are generating revenue and doing well in the market. It should also start developing new products which have the potential to do well in the market because that will provide competitive advantage to the firm. It would create new opportunities and customers. The shareholders would not hesitate to invest in the firm if it is doing well because they would get appropriate returns on their investment. The evaluation system is designed to be flexible and helps GSK to discontinue those projects that are not meeting expectations. In other words, those projects are hinder ing the growth of the firm. GSKs disciplined and focussed approach has the most influence on how well it evaluates progress towards stated innovation goals. It sees where and how resources are allocated within R D. It terminated more than 35 per cent of discovery projects following the reorganisation in 2008. Those projects might not be meeting its expectations. The DPUs were given financial support for three years after the termination of the projects. The financial support aids the R D group to focus on granting the best science and the best product for the consumers but at the same time it also gave them tough timelines to produce a profitable product. If the product is not profitable it will reduce the revenues of the firm. In that case the firm would have to discontinue with the product. In 2008, GSK received 30 per cent of its revenues from products that had been in existence for less than three years as an outcome of these innovation efforts. It means its revenue was coming from new products. It gained t he first mover advantage. However, it needed to improve its old products. GSKs widespread internal development efforts often lead to innovations that do not fit with the companys main focus. 4) There are three types of control systems: financial control, strategic control and cultural control. They all have advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of financial control are that it is quantitative and easy to understand. The disadvantages are it can become narrow, internally focussed and analysis paralysis is possible. The example of financial control is that it leads to percentage of profit increase from new products. GSK employs financial control because 30 per cent of its revenue has come from products which have been in existence for less than three years. The advantages of strategic control are that it sets direction, more qualitative and fits environment. The disadvantages are it is hard to justify based on some financials, can lose sight of where the firm is. The example of strategic control is that it leads to increase in market share. The case study shows that GSK employs strategic control because its widespread internal development efforts often lead to innov ations that do not fit with the companys main focus. The advantages of cultural control are that it is very behavioural and qualitative. The disadvantage is it requires managers to be involved on a personal level. The example of cultural control is that it leads to value enhancement. GSK employs cultural control because it develops external discovery teams with other firms or universities or research labs. However, it can be seen that GSK faces a vague institutional environment because it emphasises both on financial and strategic control and firms that prefer strategic control to financial control adopt strict corporate authority. The choice of innovation mode is affected considerably by the firms internal control procedures. Therefore a model was developed to look at the relationship between a firms internal control procedures and preference of innovation mode. Using a sample of 585 Chinese firms, this study tests the proposed model. The findings show that strategic control has a negative relationship with incremental innovation but a positive relationship with radical innovation, while financial control has a positive relationship with incremental innovation but a negative relationship with radical innovation. So, GSK should employ strategic control for radical innovation and financial control for incremental innovation. There is a need to make amendments if a gap is identified between goals and performance. This can only be achieved through proper planning. GSK needs to be more cross functional by rethinking of the business processes. In particular the knowledge, equipment and processes must be managed and controlled properly. The processes used by the firm for its internal innovation must be redesigned and looked upon for improvements to meet its objectives. It will help GSK gain competitive advantage. Key decisions should be made by those involved in the innovative process. They would identify new opportunities and find solutions to the existing problems. GSK should develop new goals if the existing goals do not match its capabilities. The goals must be rational and easily achievable because that would save time and money. The individuals involved must have strong personal idea and ethics with the firms values and goals.

Essay --

Fear and respect, Firstly, is there a fixed difference between fear and respect? Well before we can answer this question we need to have a clear definition and understanding of what fear and respect are. Fear is an unpleasant and distressing emotion induced by a threat to one’s physical health or mental health, imposing danger or a sense of uncertainty. Respect on the hand defined as a courteous consideration of another person. If someone respects someone else they are giving value and worth to them. However genuine respect is not to be confused with fealty. Fealty is where one acts in a respectful manner towards someone else because they owe them duty and has nothing to do with ones feelings for another. So from these definitions it is evident that there is in-fact a difference between fear and respect. â€Å"Fear is toxic whereas respect is nurturing. Fear destroys self-confidence while respect builds it. Fear is life-threatening yet respect is life-enhancing. Fear is forced whereas respect is gained and fear is learned whilst respect is earned.† A New York City gang member was asked ...

Comparing Culture in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Pride and Prejudic

Culture in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Pride and Prejudice, and Neuromancer America was formed on the basis of culture. Many different cultural backgrounds flocked to this one area and in the process many existing cultures were destroyed, while the new influx of humanity meshed to create an American culture. This constant flow of cultures from all over the world has kept the American culture in a state of flux. Each historical period has presented its classical viewpoint of American culture through the eyes of its most accomplished authors. There are narratives about clashes of cultures, presentations of cultures and even some focused on teaching a culture. The narratives provide a glimpse into an era that may no longer exist. To understand the effect of narrating one must comprehend its make-up. Essentially there is a three-layer distinction in a narrative-- the text, story and fabula. The simplest component of a narrative is the fabula. A fabula can clearly be exemplified by a comic strip in which each box represents a new event in a chronological sequence. Many times a narrative is presented with no obvious order of events. An excellent example of this is Leslie Silko's novel, Ceremony. The main character, or as Mieke Bal describes it in her book Narratology: Introduction to the Theory of Narrative, the actor, narrates his life by jumping from his childhood to the present, back to the past and finally ending in the present. In addition to this, Bal, defines the text of a narrative as "a finite structure . . . composed of language signs" (5). Using this definition, one could again feel free to use a comic strip as an example of a narrative, but in reality a narrative is much more complicated. Using the d istinct stru... ...ader with an opportunity to experience a culture that no longer exists, or is yet to come. A look at the layout of classical narratives from the beginning of America to the present describes and relives the lives of so many individuals. In providing this glimpse into the past or the future, narratives shape the readers perspective of that time period, leaving the reader with a specific viewpoint on the history of American culture. Works Cited Austin, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. New York: Washington Square Press Book, 1960. Bal, Mieke. Narratology: Introduction to the Theory of Narrative. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1985. Gibson, William. Neuromancer. New York: Ace Books, 1984. Sawyer, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Airmont Books, 1962. Silko, Leslie Marmon. Ceremony. New York: Penguin Books, 1977.

Reflective Nursing Essay

Case Study One In this case study I will use Gibbs (1988) model of reflection to write a personal account of an abdominal examination carried out in general practice under the supervision of my mentor, utilising the skills taught during the module thus far. What happened During morning routine sick parade I was presented with a 21 year old male soldier experiencing severe acute, non specific, abdominal pain. Under the supervision of the medical officer (MO) I proceeded to carry out a full assessment and abdominal examination, using Byrne and Long’s (1976) model to structure the consultation. I requested the patients’ consent before conducting the examination, as is essential before commencement of any medical procedure, be it a physical examination or a critical surgical procedure (Seidal et al, 2006). The patient was quite agitated on arrival and appeared to be in a great deal of pain, and so before continuing with the physical examination I reassured him and made him comfortable in the treatment room. On examination his abdomen was soft, palpable with no tenderness, on auscultation bowel sounds where normal, vital signs normal, with cramping centralised pain. Feelings I was feeling confident in my ability to deal with the patient and perform the examination effectively as I had practiced this several times previously using the university resources and mock OSCE with my facilitator. As I am often solely responsible for the care and management of patients during out of hours (OOH) I felt comfortable assessing and triaging the patient. However, under normal circumstances I would assess the patient and refer them to the MO if I was concerned about their condition, in order for a decision to be made. I was also being closely monitored throughout which did increase the pressure to deliver the correct diagnosis and make appropriate decisions. However, by utilising the consultation model I feel I managed to keep a focused approach and ensure the correct questions where asked. Evaluation I feel I gained a good history from the patient by using the SOLER principles (Egan, 1990) taught in the history taking presentation. Thus allowing me to form a differential diagnosis and rule out certain causes, such as; constipation, and indigestion. Subsequently, the physical examination enabled me to confirm a diagnosis of acute abdomen. As the patient was not experiencing any worrying (red flag) symptoms associated with abdominal emergencies, such as; appendicitis or pancreatitis. However, I did forget certain aspects of the physical examination and had to be prompted by the MO. Although with more practice such incidence would be reduced. Analysis I was happy that I managed to rule out any distinct causes of the abdominal pain by performing the examination to collect data, analyse it, and use the results to make an appropriate decision (Schon, 1984). However, had I performed the examination without assistance I may not have gained all the information required to confirm diagnosis, as I did forget some aspects. Conclusion The MO seemed happy with my diagnosis and care plan, though he did highlight the importance of practicing the physical examination skills in order to become a more competent practitioner. Overall I feel gaining knowledge and skills in translating a patients’ history and physical examination results, has enabled me to become more confident in making a diagnosis and has improved my decision making skills. Action Plan In order to become a more capable and effective practitioner I must continue to perform physical examinations under the guidance of a more senior practitioner, and utilise their expertise during the decision making process. Additionally, I will continue to develop my consultation and history taking skills by using Byrne and Long’s (1976) consultation model to assist my practice and aid future development. References BYRNE, P, S., LONG, B, E, L. (1976) Doctors talking to patients. London: HMSO EGAN, G. (1998) The Skilled Helper: A problem-management approach to helping. 6th edn. Pacific Grove, London: Brooks/Cole. GIBBS, G. (1988) Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford: further education unit, oxford polytechnic SEIDAL, H, M., BALL, J, W., DAINS, J, E., BENEDICT, G, W. (2006) Mosby’s Guide to Physical Examination. 6th edn. Philadelphia: Elsevier. SCHON, D. (1984) The Reflective Practitioner: how professionals think in action. New York: Basic Books.

How does Shakespeare Create Atmosphere Essay

William Shakespeare creates atmosphere in this scene by using a number of effective techniques, in this essay I will be discussing how these techniques create such a tense and suspenseful atmosphere that truly captures and engages the Elizabethan audience. Firstly, Shakespeare uses dramatic irony in this scene by the entrance of Romeo, the audience are aware that he has just came from marrying Juliet, however the characters on stage are not. The fact that the characters are unaware of this information has a strong influence over their actions that would be different if they knew the truth. This thought will raise the tension in the audience. Another example of dramatic irony being used in this scene is when Romeo tries to explain to tybalt that he loves him and wants to make peace,† But love thee better than thou canst devise , till thou shalt know the reason of my love.† Here the audience understand why Romeo loves Tybalt because he has just married his cousin, however T ybalt thinks Romeo is being sarcastic and this angers him further, while Mercutio perceives Romeos words as giving into tybalt and not defending the family name, he finds this disgusting. â€Å"O calm, dishonourable, vile submission!† Shakespeare shows how words can be interpreted in many different ways, another clever device. Dramatic irony is also used when Tybalt says â€Å"Here comes my man,† as Romeo enters, this reveals that Tybalt has no interest in conflicting with Mercutio, he is here to fulfil his revenge against Romeo for crashing the party. The audience realise this because they have heard Tybalt plan his revenge in Act 1 scene 5, â€Å"Now seeming sweet, convert to bitt’rest gall.† As the characters on stage do not know of this plan, the dramatic tension is increased. Secondly, Shakespeare emphasises the contrasting themes of this play to create atmosphere within this scene; the first example is the stark contrast between the calm and loving cool night setting and the tense, violent, stifling hot setting of this scene. The sharp change of setting would automatically create a sense of uncertainty and give the play more suspense and the audience have now witnessed that the play coul d twist unexpectedly. The main themes of the play, love and hate, contrast heavily in this scene. We witness Romeo tenderly approach Tybalt with love and peace â€Å"And so, good Capulet, which name I tender as dearly as mine own, be satisfied.† The  harshly contrasting words of Tybalt help to emphasise how deep the feud is between the two families â€Å"Thou art a villain.† Romeo enters the scene in a bubble of bliss and new love for his bride but he flees the scene after slaying Tybalt in a state of blind furious revenge. As Mercutio dies, Romeo blames his love for Juliet for making him weak and unable to save his friend.†Thy beauty hath made me effeminate†, this reflects the view of women at the time, as Elizabethan’s believed that if a man was too much in love this made him weak. The importance of masculinity in those times is also shown in Mercutio’s disgust when Romeo refuses Tybalt’s challenge for a duel- a traditional masculine act of protection and defence of nobility. This would create atmosphere as masculinity and femininity are another contrasting theme. Shakespeare uses the role of fate to create atmosphere throughout the play, it appears as fate has choreographed the ev ents to happen in a certain way to result in the tragic end to Romeo’s and Juliet’s love story. Romeo mentions fate and fortune frequently he seems have trust in it and hopes he will be guided into something good. â€Å"But he hath the steerage of my course direct my sail!† After Mercutio’s death Romeo refers to the incident as â€Å"This days black fate.† Again the belief that this greater power has control over the sequence of events is presented to the audience. If fate is this ruthless who will be its next victim? This question of the audience will contribute to the suspenseful atmosphere. Fate is personified when Romeo cries after slaying Tybalt â€Å"O, I am fortune’s fool.† This shows that Romeo feels that fortune is playing around with his life and he has no control over his actions and choices, I think Romeo’s belief in fortune relates to how his character is revealed in this scene. Relating to fate, some of the characters seem to have premonitions of the future, Romeo feels that there will be more trouble to come â€Å"This days black fate on Moe days doth depend.† This gives an eerie hint to the audience on the black fate that will strike Romeo and his Juliet. Benvolio at the beginning of the scene ca n sense that trouble will start because of the heat and suggests to Mercutio that they retire â€Å"And if we meet we shall not scape a brawl, for now these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.† The reference to â€Å"mad blood† hints of the blood that is shed in a Romeo’s mad frenzy of violence, and gives the audience the effective image of the heat and anger boiling Romeo’s blood. Finally, fate seems to find a voice in dying  Mercutio who claims â€Å"A plague a’ both your houses!† which ominously forecasts the plague of death which strikes the lovers at the end of the play. Atmosphere is visually created by the quick and action packed fight scene, two lives are lost in a relatively short time this would have been very dramatic and emotional too watch, having a dazed effect on the audience. The fight scene would have presented Tybalt’s swords skills and Romeo’s furious passion, showing that the battle could go either way, creating a very excited but suspenseful atmosphere. One of the main contributions to the atmosphere is Shakespeare’s choice and style of language; we must remember that Elizabethans went to hear a play and how effective the language was had a key role in gaining their support of the play. Shakespeare uses rhyming couplets to creative an effective atmosphere, when lady Capulet discovers that Romeo has killed tybalt she says â€Å"I beg for justice which thou, Prince, must give: Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live.† This is effective because rhyming couplets conclude a thought and seal it as definite; this foreshadows the future as Romeo does not live, as a result of killing tybalt, because if not for this action the next sequence of events leading to his death wouldn’t have occurred. Atmosphere is also created by Mercutio’s style of lines, Mercutio speaks in prose a line that is usually given to a common or small character, but Mercutio is a gentlemen from a wealthy background therefore he is not using prose to reflect his social class, but to reflect a negative and lowly view of a subject. In this case Mercutio describes Benvolio’s temper â€Å"Thy head is as full of quarrels is and egg is full of meat.† The audience will realise that it is not the peacemaker Benvolio Mercutio is describing, but that he is describing his own troublemaking characteristics. Talking in prose shows that he feels this lowly and shameful part of his characteristics. Wordplay was another technique used to create atmosphere that was very popular with the Elizabethans, Shakespeare inputs this in Romeo’s response to Tybalt’s challenge as Romeo answers changing the words only slightly. â€Å"The love I bear thee† Romeo responds with â€Å"the reason that I have to love thee†, while â€Å"Thou art a villain† becomes â€Å"villain am I none†. â€Å"Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is met with â€Å"I do protest I never injured thee†. Finally the direct challenge: â€Å"Therefore turn and draw† is countered with â€Å"And so†¦be satisfied†. The revelation of characters in this scene is a one  of the aspects of the atmospher e created, firstly Romeo reveals his impulsive and irrational nature when he chooses to avenge over a friends death rather than spare Juliet the loss of losing him and her cousin. It is also revealed that Romeo is very immature and cannot handle the concept of taking responsibility, only has he just been married and he blames Juliet for his weakness causing Mercutio’s death, linking back to his quote on fortune, Romeo seems to think he cant control anything and that it is all fates fault. Never once does he admit his mistake in killing Tybalt, instead he says fortune is controlling him for fun â€Å"O, I am fortunes fool.† He also personifies fury as if it is not his own actions but as if they are being controlled by fury. â€Å"And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!† In conclusion all of these techniques I have discussed, tie together a fantastic knot of suspenseful and captivating atmosphere, that advances the plot and provides the first exciting twist of the play.

Digestion: Describe the digestion of a burger Essay

Digestion A burger is broken down mechanically by biting into it. The food in the mouth sets off salivary glands that secrete salivary amylase, which breaks down amylase in the burger. When the food is broken down enough, the tongue shapes the food in a bolus, or a ball. The bolus is pushed back to the pharynx at the back of the throat. The food stimulates the opening of the flap so the good goes down the esophagus, rather than the windpipe. Because of peristalsis, rhythmic waves created by muscles in the throat, the food slides easily down the digestive tract. Salivary amylase continues to break down the starch all the way down the esophagus. When the burger reaches the stomach, the epithelium, or stomach wall, secretes gastric juice which has a very high concentration of hydrochloric acid and breaks up the burger. In the gastric juice is also an enzyme that hydrolyzes proteins called pepsin. This pepsin starts out as the inactive pepsinogen, and is activated by hydrochloric acid in the epithelium. After this, the burger is churned in the stomach and becomes chyme, or vomit. From the stomach, the burger goes through the pyloric sphincter and into the small intestine. In the first 25 cm of the small intestine, the food goes through the duodenum, a place where pancreatic enzymes and bile from the live are stored. Bile, along with the enzyme lipase, breaks down fat while the enzyme nuclease breaks down nucleic acids and various enzymes, such as trypsins and peptidases, break down the proteins. These substances are called by hormones which act based on stimuli received, such as the food in the duodenum. Absorption also occurs in the small intestine because of its large surface area. It has a very large surface area because villi, or finger like projections on the surface, contain microvilli, smaller projections on the surface of the villi. Because of this, the surface area of the small intestine is greatly increased. The large intestine, or colon, has the job of retaining water. It reabsorbs water and nutrients that remain in the lumen. The undigested materials are then excreted in feces, and the digestion of the burger is completed.

Social Media Marketing

Evaluate the Effectiveness of Social Media Marketing on Hotels Jennie Russell 1. Abstract Purpose; The internet has forced companies to transform themselves to be more interactive, innovative and efficient as the online consumer is more active, demanding and in control; if unhappy about a service the hotel’s reputation c an be damaged as negative information posted online is instant and public; sharing their opinion with hundreds of thousands of potential customers. However, savvy marketers are increasingly using social media to let guests sell their hotels, which is authentic marketing at its best.Marketers need to implement dedication, time and resources in social media marketing to be successful and stay ahead of their competitors; most hotels lack the resources required to effectively implement social marketing strategies. Methodology; This paper integrates triangulation to ensure all views of social media marketing are portrayed; three hotel marketing managers were questi oned, consumers on PollDaddy answered polls and the role of the practitioner research was undertaken to analyse Cedar Court’s Facebook campaign.Secondary research was used to develop recommendations for the effective use of social media marketing. Findings; This paper presents the results of an exploratory study on the different perspectives of social media marketing. It was found that some hotels have more developed social media marketing strategies than others but all are willing to learn and develop. Consumers had mixed opinions on social media marketing which lead to calls for recommendations to be derived from secondary research for the effective use of social media marketing.Research Limitations; More time was needed to research and analyse the Facebook campaign and a payable account was needed on PollDaddy to increase the exposure of the polls. Value; Social media marketing is a fairly new trend; it will be a key factor in the future of marketing; Large hotels like Hil ton and Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts have fully integrated social media into their marketing strategy, but for most hotels the difficulty is not only where to begin, but who to use and what to do; this paper will significantly impact how hotels market on social media sites.Keywords; Social Media, Marketing, Hotels, Effective, Participation, Interaction 1|Page 2. Context & Objectives Long before the Internet, people shared their opinions of products with friends and family through word of mouth; ‘a happy guest tells five others; an unhappy guest tells 9-10 others. ’ (Kennedy, 2009) Nowadays, consumers are spending more and more time on social network sites where they can broadcast their experiences directly online via social media sharing their opinion with hundreds of thousands of potential customers; hotel marketers need to reach these communities and interact with them to stay competitive.TIG Global (2009) describes how the internet has changed marketing; ‘what was once an efficient one way communication tool has evolved into an interactive two way communication device. ’ The internet is forcing companies to transform themselves to be more interactive, innovative and efficient. Kozinets (1999, p254) discussed that ‘online consumers are not merely passive recipients of consumption information but active creators’; consumers are now in control. The information the consumers post is instant and public; giving them the opportunity to be heard in large numbers.Marketers need to form alliances with these online consumer communities as it is the dawn of customer engagement; ‘Engaged customers spend more money and come back more often. ’ (Mclean, 2008) Social media marketing requires participation, interaction and dedication (Raza, 2006); time, commitment and resources are essential for the efficient use of social media marketing; however most hotels lack the resources required to effectively implement social mark eting strategies.Most hotels either don't do social media marketing or they don't do it efficiently; W eber (2009) understands that marketers have to be aggregators not broadcasters; they have to be part of the consumer’s conversation, not bombarding them with constant sales pitches. (Evans, 2009) Marketers have to ensure their content is beneficial to the hotel and their consumers; they should not perceive the hotels presence to be a nuisance.Large hotels like Hilton, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts and MGM Grand have fully integrated social media into their marketing strategy, but for most hotels the difficulty is not only where to begin, but who to use and what to do. Is it detrimental for a hotel not to use social media sites? Can it be detrimental if social media sites are used but not appropriately? The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of social media in hotel marketing. The objectives of this study are to; ? Evaluate how the internet has changed hotel marketing. |Page ? ? ? Assess the key activities involved in social media marketing. Evaluate the role of social media marketing within hotel marketing strategies. Develop recommendations for the effective use of social media marketing in hotels. 3. Literature Review Marketing Raza (2005, p 2) defines marketing as an ‘ongoing process comprising various co-ordinated activities a company must perform to develop and/or wanted product, bring it to the market, maintain it there and maximize the customers benefit. The customer is an integral part of the marketing process; marketers need to focus on their customer’s needs, wants and expectations which will reflect in their services and result in a successful hotel. ‘For many years hospitality firms have believed that the goal of marketing is to create as many new customers as possible. ’ (Shoemaker & Lewis, 1999, p345) They believed it was important to satisf y the guests while they were on the property, but the real goal w as to continue to find new customers; their interest in getting new customers dominated the task of keeping customers.Nowadays, companies have realized that both aspects are vital; finding n ew customers and keeping current customers; Chen et al (2009) suggest that companies exploit the internet to become more innovative and effective at this task. Marketing using traditional methods used interruption techniques which consumers accepted as they classed them as necessary ‘happenings’; the marketers were in control. But the internet forced marketers to transform themselves; Chen et al (2009) discovered that marketers were no longer in control; the balance of power had shifted to the consumer.The existence of united groups of online consumers interacting shifts knowledge and power from marketers to consumers; Kozinets (1999, p258) supports this; ‘The more online consumption members communicate with one another through the internet, the more bold they feel about chall enging marketers and marketing claims. ’ Scott (2009) & Tuten (2008) realized that the ‘old rules’ of marketing were ineffective in a web 2. 0 world; (consumer generated content) marketers have to work harder as consumers control their media content.Saugestad (2009) reinforces this; ‘research shows that there is a growing proclivity among web users to tune out ‘corporate speak’. ’ Miguens, Baggio & Costa (2008) clarify that the internet is no longer just a static page, but a dynamic platform which allows consumers to independently generate their own content; sharing with other users and passing on their own experience. Marketers need to realize that online consumers are much more ‘active, participative, resistant, activist, loquacious, social and communitarian. ’ (Kozinets, 1999, p261) Social Medias 3|PageIt is important to ensure social media is explained to avoid confusion; ‘Social media is about sharing information and experiences with acquaintances in your networks. ’ (TIG Global, 2009) Weber (2009) noted that social networks are places where people with a common interest or concern, meet and express themselves, their opinions and ‘vent’. There are different social media channels depending on the desired goals; Table 1; Authors Analysis of Social Media Sites Type of Description Statistics Social Media Facebook Facebook is a social networking website that Facebook reports was originally designed for students, but is n average of now open to anyone 13 years of age or older. 250,000 new Facebook users can create and customize registrations per their own profiles with photos, videos, and day since January information about themselves. Friends can 2007. (Scott, 2009, browse the profiles of other friends and write p229) messages on their profiles. Twitter Twitter is an online service that allows you to There are a share updates with other users by answering reported 3 million on e simple question: â€Å"What are you doing? † tweets posted per Twitter is a free social networking and micro- day. (Social Media blogging service that enables its users toStatistics, 2008) send and read other users' updates known as tweets. TripAdvisor TripAdvisor is a free travel guide and 90% of online research website that hosts reviews from consumers trust users and other information designed to help recommendations plan a vacation. from reviews (Mclean, 2008) YouTube YouTube is a video sharing service that ‘Videos posted on allows users to watch videos posted by other You tube attract users and upload videos of their own. The more than 40 slogan of the YouTube website is â€Å"Broadcast million visitors Yourself. † This implies the YouTube service monthly. ’ (Weber, s designed primarily for ordinary people who 2009 p4) want to publish videos they have created. ‘Social networking continues to grow and shape the way people communicate. ’ (Hotelworld, 2010) There are hundreds of active social networking websites, but the social media sites listed in table 1 are relevant to this project as hotels are currently using them to market themselves. The internet is becoming one big social networking site; ‘Over 44% of all internet users are active in social media’ (TIG Global, 2009) Saugestad (2009) & Miguens, Baggio & Costa (2008) argue that social media sites are the most 4|Page opular sites on the internet due to the fact it is available 24/7, giving potential online customers the opportunity to access information at their own convenience. Starkov & Mechoso (2010) acknowledges that internet users spend 17% of their surfing time on social network and blogging sites, nearly triple the percentage of time spent on sites than a year ago which is beneficial to marketers if they use social media effectively, as they are reaching a growing audience. Using Social Media Effectively Many authors agree that social media marketing needs to be fully integrated in the hotel’s marketing process.Marketer’s need a solid internet strategy; merging social media marketing into their marketing plan and the hotels brand; integrating videos, images and blogs to increase exposure and improve online positioning. (Davis, 2009, Raza, 2005, Tikkanen et al, 2009) Social media gives marketers an incredibly inexpensive way to build brand awareness, while doing it in a way that makes the hotel seem simultaneously hip, down to earth and fun. Hotels (2009) explain how savvy marketers are increasingly using social media to let guests sell their hotels, which is authentic marketing at its best.Kennedy (2009) found that guests who have had extremely positive experiences do often feel motivated to post their positive feedback on the internet. Successful word of mouth marketing isn’t about what the hotel thinks it represents; it’s what the consumers choose to talk about; ‘Word of mouth hinges on real consumers spreading the word for you. ’ (Mclean, 2008) It’s the best marketing tool; with high credibility as it comes from previous customers and there is no cost to the hotel.However, if consumers have a bad experience it can be unfavourable for the hotels reputation; ‘a single negative online guest review can cause significant damage by scaring off future potential guests. ’ (Kennedy, 2009) The scope of internet marketing is huge; numbers could be in the realms of tens of thousands of potential guests scared off from one bad review on the internet. Hotels reputations are at stake; consumers are going to be talking about how they were treated for better or for worse.Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts has set the bar for social media customers service care; a guest went on twitter whilst staying at the Biltmore Four Seasons Resort to make a criticism about the hotels music, to her surprise she received a bottle of wine and a note from the general mana ger apologizing. Another situation at Four Seasons Bangkok, where a guest complained on twitter about the lack of appealing movies on TV that night; management were notified and the guest was informed about the hotels in-house DVD library. Kirby, 2009) These situations show the effective engagement and participation required with social media marketing that results in high customer satisfaction. Interaction, Participation and Authenticity Social media is all about forming relationships, trust and building an online reputation. The main focus in social media marketing is to keep consumers informed and not to fool them. TIG Global (2009) explain that social media users 5|Page will likely be appreciative of hotel marketers updates and more inclined to pass them along to their networks of friends and family, if they feel the updates are authentic and useful.The main purpose of social media is social interaction and networking with other users; hotel marketers need to enhance their socia l interactions to be successful; ‘the speed of the response is a significant factor in interactivity. ’ (Tikkanen et al, 2009, p1371) The stronger a hotel’s genuine interactivity on social media sites, the stronger their social media brand will be. Starkov & Mechoso (2010) reveal that if a hotel enhances its social media presence on Facebook and Twitter, it can create a buzz around the property and contribute to increased awareness and booking considerations.Engaging and dynamic content can enhance a hotels presence and generate continuous interest; ‘the online social media process is all about the ‘word of mouse’. ’ (Parsippany, 2009) Social media sites are all about customer engagement; companies who focus on engagement rather than selling will see success. (Mclean, 2007, Tikkanen et al, 2009) By incorporating value, interactivity and engagement; hotel marketers could thrive with social media marketing. Valuable Content Evans (2009) ad vises marketers to ensure they have significant cont ent on their social media sites otherwise they will lose consumers and search engine rankings.Consumers aren’t afraid to tell hotel marketers if their content is rubbish but at least social media offers the ability to make instant adjustments in case they need to change detrimental content. ‘Marketers have to provide customers with value to have a better chance of engaging their customers in their marketing activities. ’ (Parsons et al, 1998 cited from Tikkanen et al, 2009, p1369) Value is one of the most important things to keep in mind when creating great social media content that will persuade consumers to interact and engage with marketers.Armstrong (2001) understands that marketers are sceptical about social media marketing but tries to convince them to use the internet as a sales and marketing tool; he summarizes that the issue is not only how to engage the consumer, but also how first to attract the cons umer to the website and then to retain them; however this book is dated with basic knowledge of the internet and limited reference to social media marketing. Saugestad (2009) argued that successful social media marketing requires meaningful participation, authenticity and real engagement.Social media is a continual process of evolving and updating to ensure exciting and lively content; ‘Involvement in (and success with) social media takes time and commitment. ’ (TIG Global, 2009) Future of Marketing Hotels (2009) predicts social media will become firmly entrenched as a marketing channel in 2010. Savvy marketers will continue to shift marketing funds to online channels at the expense of traditional marketing methods which Starkov & Mechoso (2010) reinforce ‘social media and mobile marketing are quickly becoming the mainstream in the hospitality industry. Accelerating technological 6|Page developments are evolving as a new generation of opportunity and challenge for the marketer. The issue with social media marketing isn’t whether to use it or not but to ensure the time, commitment and resources are spent developing it effectively. There is a lot of literature around social media marketing but no distinct recommendations for effective usage. 4. Method of InvestigationAn exploratory research approach will be used to gather information; a mixture of deductive and inductive; deductive as I want to find if hotel marketing managers find social media marketing useful, also want to find if the level of communication on social networking can gain loyalty from consumers or discover if social me dia marketing is beneficial to a hotel or detrimental to their image. Inductive secondary research will develop recommendations for the use of social media marketing. Triangulation refers to the use of different data collection techniques in ne study in order to ensure the data is correct and precise. (Saunders, Lewis, Thornhill, 2005) Triangulation will be used in this project as it will provide better opportunities to gather all perspectives on social media marketing and will allow effective evaluation of the findings. A mixed method research approach will be undertaken and data will be analyzed throughout the process; Tashakkori & Teddie (2003) quoted in Saunders, Lewis, Thornhill, (2005, p 146) argue that ‘multiple methods are useful if they provide better opportunities for you to answer your research question. The role of practitioner researcher will be undertaken as I designed a Facebook page for Cedar Court Hotel Wakefield when I worked for them on my placement which I now manage. I plan to add 1 event and 3-4 status updates per week as well as requesting at least 40 friends. I understand it will be time consuming; I’m a full time student so all my time is spent on university work which does not allow me to be fully immersed in the daily events at Cedar Court.Therefore familiarity may affect the research as I don ’t have any up to date information to enable me to frequently update the status with current issues; I have overcome this problem by asking the sales manager to keep me informed. I will analyse the campaign for 3 months to observe the impact and responses from the hotel’s social media activities. Structured questionnaires will be conducted using purposive sampling (typical case) with three hotel marketing managers that are currently using Facebook to market their hotel in order to explore their opinions of social media marketing.The questionnaires will be conducted through email so the managers can complete the questionnaire at a time and place convenient to them. The delphi technique will be used to ensure the key issues are addressed; when all the data is collected I will distribute it to the marketing managers to see if they agree with 7|Page the findings and to ensure all the important issues have been illustrated. All three managers will answer the same set of que stions to ensure reliable data. From these questionnaires I will develop polls to ask the general ublic their opinions on social media marketing using PollDaddy as the sampling frame ‘The larger your sample size the lower the likely error in generalising to the population. ’ (Saunders, Lewis, Thornhill, 2005, pg. 210) Poll Daddy has 500,000 users around the world (PollDaddy, 2009) which should generate a good response rate; I am aiming for at least 100 answers to each question to generate findings that are representative of people who are interested in social networking. There is no limit to the amount of questions I can post as PollDaddy provides interactive polling, which I thought was relevant to this project.I will post the questions in November and 3 months later I will gather the quantitative data which allows easy comparison. As well as primary data, documentary secondary data will be gathered from literature on the internet; journals and articles from websites s uch as e. hotelier. com/caterersearch. com will be used to develop recommendations for a hotel marketer to efficiently use social media marketing. Secondary data is unobtrusive; it will aid the project’s objectives and will enable triangulation.An external ethics committee is not required for this research; none of the participants will be vulnerable and social media marketing is a neutral subject. Participant error, bias or observer error shouldn’t occur as triangulation should yield consistent, reliable findings. For this project written consent will be implemented, if participants do not want to participate then they simply do not have to answer the questions. Participants will be volunteers and will be adequately informed of the research; they will be free to withdraw at any time and if necessary the findings can be anonymous.I will monitor Facebook and PollDaddy 4 times a week to ensure the activity is sincere and will re evaluate the validity if I feel it’ s being compromised. 8|Page 4. 1 Research Agenda From the literature review the key issues were highlighted and incorporated into the table below; these issues will form the basis of the questionnaires and polls. Table 2; Table of Issues Issues Reference The more online consumption members communicate with one another through the internet, the bolder they feel about challenging marketers and marketing claims. KOZINETS, Robert, V. (1999) E-Tribalized Marketing? The strategic Implications Of Virtual Communities of Consumption. European Management Journal. 17 (3) 252–264. Online social networking sites are the most popular sites on the internet. MIGUENS, J. , BAGGIO, R. , COSTA, C. (2008) Social Media and Tourism Destinations; TripAdvisor Case Study. Advances in Tourism Research 2008. Aveiro. Portugal RAZA, Ivo. (2005) Heads In Beds; Hospitality & Tourism Marketing. 1st Edition. United States of America. Pearson Prentice Hall. DAVIS, John. (2009) Social Media; Marketing Magic or Madness. [online] 16 July. Article from Hotel Online; News for The HospitalityExecutive. Last accessed on 19 October 2009 at: www. hotel- It is virtually impossible to compete in today’s marketplace without a solid internet strategy. Hotels need to merge social media marketing into the brand and the marketing plan; integrating videos, images and blogs to increase exposure and improve online Question derived from issue Do you find that online consumers are much more active, participative, resistant and more demanding? What types of social media marketing do you use and how do you use it? Do you have an internet marketing strategy? How important is social media marketing in your arketing plan? Is it fully integrated? 9|Page positioning. online. com/News/PR2009_3 rd/Jul09_SocialMediaMagic. html Engaging and dynamic PARSIPPANY, NJ. (2009) content can generate Introducing: CoMMingle continuous interest; ‘the Social Media Marketing online social media Agency for Hospitality. process is all about the [online] 21 September. ‘word of mouse’. ’ Article from Hotel Online; News for the Hospitality Executive. Last accessed on 19 October at: http://www. hotelonline. com/News/PR2009_3 rd/Sep09_CoMMingle. html Successful social media SAUGESTAD, Stephen. marketing requires 2009) Social Media and the meaningful participation, Hospitality Industry. [online] authenticity and real 23 September. Article from engagement. ehotelier. com; the one stop website for hoteliers. Last accessed on 19 October 2009 at: http://ehotelier. com/hospitali tynews/item. php? id=P17166_ 0_11_0_C Four Seasons Hotels & KIRBY, Adam. (2010) MGM Resorts has set the bar Grand Billboard Takes for social media Twitter to Masses. [online] 4 customers service care; January. Article from Hotels; a guest went on twitter The Magazine of the whilst staying at the Worldwide Hotel Industry.Biltmore Four Seasons Last accessed on 6 January Resort to make a 2010 at: criticism about the http://www. hotelsmag. com/b hotels music, to her log/Musings_Miscellany/296 surprise she received a 91bottle of wine and a note MGM_Grand_Billboard_Tak from the general es_Twitter_To_Masses. php manager apologizing. 1. Does your social media site incorporate engaging and dynamic content for your consumer? 2. How often do you update your content on your social media sites? 1. Successful social media marketing requires meaningful participation, value and real engagement do you feel you give this and how? 2.How often do you check/interact on your social media sites? 1. If you find a negative comment online what do you do? 2. Can you give me 3 examples of how social media marketing has worked well for you and what was the impact? 10 | P a g e 5. Findings & Analysis 5. 1 Facebook Research The impact and responses from Cedar Court’s social media activities on Facebook were recorded. Every week Cedar Court’s status was updated 3 times, a new event was added and an average of 40 friends were requested; the campaign was analysed for 3 months to investigate positive and negative reactions of the consumers.It can be immediately seen from column 2 that Cedar Court’s friends have consistently increased, doubling the amount of friends it started off with from 323 on 24. 11. 09 to 692 on 19. 02. 10. The number of people adding Cedar Court to be their friend (column 5) also consistently increased, in the first month Cedar Court had 0-1 people requesting to be their friend but towards the end of the campaign an average of 6 people were requesting to be their friend with a maximum of 8 people on 19. 02. 10.The popularity of Cedar Court definitely increased; at the start only 1 person ‘liked’ the status, then only 1 person commented on the second status, gradually throughout the weeks more people started to ‘like’ and comment on the statuses. Towards the end of the campaign an average of 30 people were ‘liking’ the sta tus and an average of 3 people were commenting; the Valentine’s Day status (15. 02. 10) had 70 friends ‘like’ it and 3 comments which is significant. Generally, the popularity of Cedar Court’s profile did increase however there was a decrease of 7 friends on 24. 2. 09 which could be due to the fact 4 events were sent out the previous time or it could have been due to festive pessimism, after this incident I ensured I would only send 1 event out each week to ensure I didn’t annoy any more of Cedar Court’s friends. The number of people accepting Cedar Court to be their friend and adding Cedar Court to be their friend consistently increased, which could be due to the fact that more consumers are accepting companies presence on social media sites owever consumers tended to ‘like’ and comment on the personal status update; not the sales pitch status es, which goes against companies objectives to use social media as a marketing tool. A ll the comments were positive which is encouraging; this shows a positive impact as consumers enjoy participating in the personal statuses; they take pleasure in the engagement and interactment with the hotel’s day to day activities; birthday’s, promotions, new employees etc. 11 | P a g e 5. 2 Questionnaires with Marketing Managers Questionnaires were emailed to the marketing managers of Hilton, Marriott and Malmaison.They were given 1 month to reply; giving as much detail as possible. To analyse these questionnaires, themes have been derived to allow ease of comparison between the hotels. Marketing the Hotels At the moment all three hotels use a variety of sources to market their hotels; social media, emails, newspapers, tradeshows, search engines, word of mouth and leaflet dropping. All three also have an internet marketing strategy; Hilton explained their marketing team works together with their PR and promotions to shape this strategy.Social media is important in t he hotels marketing plans; Marriott have only been using social media for around 6 months and hopes to be fully integrated by the end of the year. Hilton acknowledges social media is a ‘new space’ and have integrated it through PR and partnerships/promotions. All three hotel’s use Facebook, plus another social media form, however they all use them in slightly different ways. Malmaison started using social media marketing after attending a ‘future of hospitality’ course and uses Twitter and Facebook to update promotions and news etc.Hilton recognised that conversation about their brand were taking place on Facebook and Twitter whether they were participating or not; they use the same sites as Malmaison as ‘additional channels’ for brand news and giveaways. Marriott started in response to their sister hotel having used it for several months and uses Facebook and LinkedIn. Opinions on Social Media Marketing Malmaison’s opinions are m ixed; they believe it is the way forward because it has many benefits but understand there are negatives and that hotels should be careful.However Marriott is not in favour of it; ‘using sites that are not necessarily business focused as a marketing tool can cheapen your product and portray the wrong image. ’ Hilton understands the need for a sound strategy, time and commitment before adopting it; ‘social media marketing should never be used in place of traditional marketing tactics. ’ 12 | P a g e All three hotels agree that social media marketing is useful; Malmaison finds it easy to a point, ‘its quick, reaches a mass audience, builds relationships and is relatively cost effective. ’ Marriott thinks it is cost effective and likes the ‘speed to market. Hilton states that it is ‘extremely helpful in building buzz for our brand , sharing news quickly. ’ Occurrence of Content Updates and Interactions All three hotels interact on their social media sites however there are different levels; Hilton is the highest and checks theirs frequently throughout each day whereas Marriott only check theirs once a week; hotels on social media sites should be giving instant information; a week is far too long. Malmaison checks theirs as ‘often as they can’; but this is a loose term and could range from Hiltons highest level to Marriott’s lowest level of interaction.Again, with content update the rankings were the same; Hilton was the leader as they ‘post multiple messages to Twitter each day and add content to Facebook regularly’, Marriott only update their content on average once a month which is insufficient and Malmaison were vague with ‘as often as we can. ’ Participation, Engagement and Valuable Content Malmaison follows up on complaints and says thank you for good comments, they offer incentives and promotions their customers would appreciate.Hilton talks with their â €˜fans’ rather than ‘at’ them, they try to provide content that has real value, rather than simply ‘pushing marketing messages. ’ Whereas Marriott acknowledges that they are not giving the ‘appropriate level of participation’ however this year they do hope to overcome this and build their online profi le. Malmaison believes that their site incorporates engaging and dynamic content for their consumers; Hilton always ‘tries to provide information that is valuable to our audience. ’ Marriott is drawing up plans to address their ‘limited’ content.Champions and Time Spent with Social Media Marketing All three hotels understand the importance of assigning a dedicated social media marketer; Hilton has ‘an agency team and three internal team members’; Malmaison has 1 person from each hotel responsible and Marriott has nominated six people for their social media activities. Marriott only spends a couple o f hours per week on social media marketing whilst Malmaison spends ‘as much time as we can’ which is again vague but sounds keen! Hilton understands that ‘time investment is considerable and necessary. Attracting the Active and Demanding Online Consumer Malmaison attracts online consumers to their social media sites through exclusive offers and competitions; Hilton has integrated their Facebook and Twitter with their official brand site and other microsites; they also rely heavily on 13 | P a g e word of mouth from their current ‘fans’ and use giveaways. In the near future Marriott will be adding their social media addresses to their traditional ‘collateral’ that they hand to clients. Malmaison agrees with the statement that ‘online consumers are more active, participative, resistant and demanding. Hilton thinks it varies; ‘most followers are honest and enjoy travel so their posts and comments are positive’ but Hiltons social media channels are ‘not intended to be a guest assistance centre. ’ Which I disagree with; guests should be able to have their p roblems resolved through social media, I do understand that it’s an international company but strategies should be in place for these encounters. Marriott said ‘we will only really begin to see this in the coming months as our exposure grows. ’ Analysis of Social Media MarketingMalmaison analyses their social media marketing at the end of every week using tools such as ‘trendistic, tweetbeep, twittercounter, twitpwr. ’ Hilton receives weekly reports from an agency that ‘tracks major topics. ’ However Marriot t’s focus is ‘bringing our profile to a level where it actually merits tracking. ’ TripAdvisor Reviews Malmaison and Marriott both stated that they use TripAdvisor reviews but didn’t say how they used them. Hilton encourages its hotels to monitor consumer revie ws as ‘they are a great way to understand what is and is not working for a particular property. ’ Negative CommentsIf Malmaison finds a negative comment then they ‘address and investigate the situation, if a contact number/email address is left then the matter will be dealt with in private. ’ Hilton does their best to resolve the issue; ‘just as we do at our hotels when a guest complains. ’ Until this year Marriott only acted on feedback without replying to the customer; but now they use the ‘Manageme nt Response’ function to post replies to both negative and positive comments. Hilton doesn’t believe social media can necessarily go wrong, but negative posts about customer’s experiences at their hotels is ‘disheartening. Malmaison stated that they seem to be doing ok and Marriott said ‘this remains to be seen. ’ Social Media Working W ell All three hotels have had positive experiences with social med ia; Malmaison has had positive feedback from its ‘fans’, the events they advertised have had favourable responses and offers have been well received. Hilton asked ‘Tweeters’ to cheer for the film premier ‘Up in the Air’ for a chance to win various prizes; this was mutually beneficial and increased the hotel’s profile; reporters often post stories from Hiltons Twitter or Facebook.Marriott use Facebook to advertise charity events and to drive exposure of their Christmas party packages. 14 | P a g e Recommendations Malmaison and Marriott are welcoming of recommendations ‘that are tailored for our product and the market we are in. ’ Hilton are ‘always looking for suggestions that we can use at the brand level and share with our hotels. ’ Social media is a continual process of evolving and updating that takes time and commitment, even though Hilton are the most advanced in social media, the willingness for suggestion s shows true commitment and is an important attribute.Hilton are the most savvy in social media marketing; Marriott is fairly new in this concept and need more time to extend their strategies. Malmaison is well developed but not up to Hiltons standards however Hilton is a multi-national company which is hard to compete with. Unfortunately some managers did not answer in as much depth as I would have liked; none would disclose any financial information which is understandable but disappointing as it would have been interesting to compare the financial implications and set a guideline amount in the recommendations.One manager took 3 months to fill out the questionnaire and only replied when I used Facebook to prompt them to fill it in. 5. 3 PollDaddy Results Polls were developed on PollDaddy to ask the general public their opinions on social media marketing. Originally I had problems with the response rate as I only had a free account, if I had a paid account I would have received mor e responses and more exposure, but I overcame this by using Facebook to link my questions from PollDaddy and the responses increased rapidly; reinforcing the argument that social media is effective.Table 3; Key Points from PollDaddy 1. 87% think that social media marketing isn’t just a trend. 2. 50% think that marketers abuse social media marketing. 3. 48% think there should be rules for the appropriate usage of social media marketing. 31% think marketing on social media is innovative. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 60% find it easier to challenge marketer’s claims through social media marketing. 30% use Facebook and 27% use Twitter as their main social media forms. 36% think companies on social media are demonstrating meaningful participation, authenticity and real engagement. 2% engage in social media if they see it as beneficial. 15 | P a g e 9. 57% think social media marketing is a convenient and efficient way of finding information and interacting with an organisation Source; Aut hor’s Analysis of Poll Daddy Results 1. This is a significant percentage of people who think social media marketing isn’t just a trend; they believe it will be around permanently so hotels should take up this information and use this to their advantage through marketing. 2.Half who answered thought that marketers ‘just don’t get’ social media marketing; people felt that marketers could make more of the opportunities they have; the ‘recommendations’ may help marketers use social media marketing more effectively. 3. This point reinforces the need for marketers to effectively use social media marketing; it is a fairly new concept and marketers need to develop their strategies if they want to succeed. 4. 31% think marketing on social media is innovative which is encouraging for marketers; 32% of people don’t mind social media marketing as long as it isn’t excessive. 5.Online consumer aren’t afraid to challenge marketers claims; they are more assertive which strengthens Chen et al (2009) and Kozinets (1999) argument that the balance of power has shifted away from the marketer to the online consumer. 6. Most people who answered used some form of social media marketing, from Facebook to LinkedIn; companies should begin marketing on Facebook and then develop their strategies from there. 7. 36% thought that social media marketing shows companies commitment to engagement and interaction; however the polls were very close with some people being suspicious of social media marketing and the marketing ploys. . Social media sites are all about customer engagement with beneficial content this point reinforces Mclean (2007) and Tikkanen et al (2009); companies who focus on engagement rather than selling will see success. 9. This supports TIG Global’s (2009) point that social media users will likely be appreciative of hotel marketers updates and more inclined to pass them along to their networks of frien ds and family, if they feel the updates are authentic and useful.All questions answered had different response rates ranging from 97 to 497. Even though some of the percentages are fairly inconclusive, social media 16 | P a g e marketing is a growing trend and it would be interesting to see the results in a year’s time. 5. 4 Recommendations The dynamic growth and popularity of social media sites has created new opportunities for hotels; I have created recommendations to ensure proper usage of social media marketing and eliminate the risks involved for hotels. 6. ConclusionThe purpose of this project was to evaluate social media in hotel marketing; this project aims to help hotel marketers assess the key activities involved in social media marketing and evaluate the impact on a hotels marketing strategies and their image. Literature Review The internet has forced companies to transform themselves to be more interactive, innovative and efficient as the online consumer is more a ctive, demanding and in control; if unhappy about a service the hotel’s reputation can be damaged as negative online information posted is instant and public; sharing their opinion with hundreds of thousands of potential customers.The more online consumers communicate with one another, the bolder they feel about challenging marketers and marketing claims. Social media marketing requires participation, interaction and dedication; time, commitment and resources are essential for the efficient use of social media marketing; it is a highly engaging and innovative marketing method. Engaging and dynamic content can enhance a hotels presence and generate continuous interest; it needs to be focused on the consumer, it’s not what the hotel wants to talk about it’s about what the consumers want to talk about.If a hotel enhances its social media presence, it can create a buzz around the property and contribute to increased awareness and booking considerations. Savvy market ers are increasingly using social media to let guests sell their hotels, which is authentic marketing at its best. Findings By analysing the impact of social media marketing through different mediums the research was able to demonstrate the impact of social media marketing. More time was needed to analyse the Facebook campaign and a payable account was needed on PollDaddy to increase the exposure of the polls.Despite the limitations there are a number of important points that came from the research; more consumers are accepting companies presence on social media sites like Facebook however consumers prefer personal status updates; not 17 | P a g e sales pitch statuses. The company profile needs a personality in order for engagement to be fulfilled. Social media is a continual process of evolving, updating and developing; hotels should be consistent in regularly usage on social media sites; instant information is needed to be given; a week is far too long to interact and deliver thei r message effectively.Hotels should implement weekly analysis of their social media marketing strategies to ensure effective usage. All three marketing managers have positive experiences with social media marketing with Hilton stating ‘social media marketing can’t necessarily go wrong. ’ PollDaddy consumers don’t mind social media marketing as long as it isn’t excessive; it shows companies commitment to engagement and interaction; however the polls found some people being suspicious of social media marketing and the marketing ploys.Consumers thought that marketers ‘just don’t get’ social media marketing; they felt that marketers could make more of the opportunities they have; the ‘recommendations’ may help marketers use social media marketing more effectively. Recommendations have been derived through secondary research for the effective use of social media marketing. A dedicated and committed employee needs designat ing to monitor and interact on the social media sites.Marketers should establish themselves as credible members of the community and legitimate experts in their field by sharing knowledge and useful links. To Conclude Social media marketing is a fairly new trend; marketers should intensify their efforts to develop and expand their social media marketing strate gies to improve their online positioning. There are positives and negatives to any new venture but overall if social media is effectively used the positives out weight the negatives.It is virtually impossible to compete in today’s marketplace without a solid internet strategy and hotels need to merge social media marketing into their brand and their marketing plan. Social media will soon be the norm in marketing and marketers need to implement dedication, time and resources to be successful and stay ahead of their competitors; most hotels lack the resources required to effectively implement social marketing strategies s o this paper should significantly impact how hotels market on social media sites.Social media marketing is a free marketing tool and if used effectively can be beneficial to the hotel with high returns, however if hotels use social media but not effectively then this can be detrimental to their image; online consumers will perceive them as a nuisance and their online reputation will be ruined. Referring back to the questions asked at the start of this paper; ‘is it detrimental for a hotel not to use social media sites? ’ and ‘can it be detrimental if social media sites are used but not appropriately? I think it can be both detrimental to a hotel to not use social media, as they are missing out on a mass online market, who will be 18 | P a g e discussing their brand whether they are participating or not, however it can also be detrimental if social media is used but not appropriately. By incorporating value, interactivity and engagement; hotel marketers could thriv e with social media marketing. Future research from this paper should look into the long term benefits of social media marketing.Some of the percentages were inconclusive from PolDaddy, it would be interesting to see the results in a year’s time to discover how opinions had changed. 8. Bibliography ARMSTRONG, Steven. (2001) Advertising On The Internet; How to Get Your Message Across On The World Wide Web. 2nd Edition. Wales. Kogan Page. CHEN, Wei, et al (2009) Strategic Management: Undergraduate Programme in Service Sector Management. Essex. Pearson Education. DAVIS, John. (2009) Social Media; Marketing Magic or Madness. 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