Quiz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Quiz - Essay Example When the bee colony collapses, there are fewer bees available to pollinate the flowers that produce foods that we need such as almonds, apples and berries and foods that our food eats like alfalfa. Fuchsia – Hummingbird; Canada Goldenrod – Western Honeybee; Comet Orchid – Sphinx Moth; Common Blue Violet – Common Blue Violet; Wild Celery – Water; Corpse Flower – Carrion Beetle; African Baobab – Rousette Fruit Bat / 7 of 7 correct Go to the PBS website for the Shape of Life series at http://www.pbs.org/kcet/shapeoflife/episodes/index.html There are 8 boxes each box has one type of animal phyla. Pick one of the animal phyla by clicking on the box. Read and explore the link then write a summary of what you learn. Try to connect it to what we went over in class. Cnidarians (jellyfish) probably are the first creatures to have begun to move and studies have shown that the reason for this is not necessarily so that they could swim, but so that they could also bring food closer to their ‘mouths’. Fungi, plants and bacteria all have a similar structure, cell walls. However the cell walls in each have a different composition. Bacterial cells walls contain _murein_, fungal cell walls contain _chiton_, and plant cell walls contain _cellulose_. The similar structures formed for a similar purpose but the difference in the molecular composition indicates that they are (homologous or analogous structures)? (Check Chapter

Uk holidays industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Uk holidays industry - Essay Example Another significant challenge being faced by the industry is increasing inflation, which has resulted in the average expenditure per visitor falling from 320 pounds per visit in 1996 to 250 pounds per visit in 2005. Another challenge that is posed to incumbents in the industry is the competition from other tourist destinations overseas. There has been a rise in the number of people leaving the UK. In 2005, the number of UK residents leaving the country on visits abroad was 2.3 million and their expenditure rose by 1.9 billion pounds. This has resulted in a tourism deficit, with UK competitiveness reducing in comparison with the rest of the world.(Tourism Annual report, 2006). This is further exacerbated by the high taxation rates mentioned before, which makes UK products and services 50% more expensive as compared to comparable services in other European countries. As a result, tourists prefer to visit other destinations in Europe rather than visiting the U.K. The UK Government has also increased the cost of licenses from alcohol sales from 30 pounds for three years to about 300 pounds per annum, which has made it difficult and uneconomical for many incumbent players in the tourist industry, such as small bed and breakfast units, to provide alcohol to their customers (Tourism Annual report, 2006). Companies in the industry that wish to succeed must ensure that appropriate standards of quality are met. Visitors to the UK are looking for a high quality tourist experience at reasonable prices. Therefore, innovative products and services must be introduced without sacrificing environmental protection (Tourism Annual report 2006). Companies in the holidays industry that are able to develop innovative tourist packages and plans are likely to benefit. For example, the opening of the Eden project neat St. Austell in Cornwall has had a positive impact on the tourist

Effects Conflicts On Growth And Development Of Businesses Politics Essay

Effects Conflicts On Growth And Development Of Businesses Politics Essay Conflict is an open clash between two opposing groups (or individuals). Conflict is actual or perceived opposition of needs, values and interests, Conflict has serious implications for development in countries affected by it, not only in terms of the difficulty of implementing development policies, but also because it leads to more poverty and lower growth, which are very serious root causes of conflict. Conflict between the Mamprusi and Kusasi ethnic groups is long-standing over some decades and has resulted in sporadic and recurrent outbreaks of serious violence resulting in destruction of property and death on many occasions. Indeed the Bawku conflict brought into play a complex matrix of structural and contingent factors that makes the disaggregating of the events particularly difficult. Hostilities between the Kusasi and Mamprusi is probably as old as the state of Mamprugu itself, since the town of Pusiga, less than ten miles distant from Bawku, was one of the first stopping places for the band of invaders who established the Mamprusi Kingdom. Most recently, in December 2001, violence broke out following a dispute between a Kusasi and a Mamprusi at a lotto kiosk in the Sabongari section of the town. Subsequent tit-for-tat attacks led to at least 29 deaths and 36 serious injuries in the month of December alone. The area in which the conflict occurred is ethnically heterogeneous and has one of the lowest income (80% living in extreme poverty) and literacy (26.3% of adults functionally literate) rates in the country. It is a relatively densely populated area with over 100 residents per kilometer. There is relatively strong religious (66%) and ethnic (64%) attachment by the populace. Voter consciousness is high and party affiliation (NDC, NPP and PNC) strong with 2000 voter registration figures of 95 per cent. (Source:2000 population and housing reports) Additionally simmering disputes over the Bawku skin have persisted for years. A number of the protagonists have been brought before the courts, but to date no credible insights have been gained into the motivation for and execution of the attacks. A frequently cited study by Christian Lund provides further information concerning the history of conflict in recent decades, including overlapping issues of land ownership, ethnicity, chieftaincy an d others, including the unresolved issue of the Bawku skin (signifying entitlement to the throne); The skin is the symbol of chiefly authority in northern Ghana, equivalent to the stool in the south. It symbolizes the chieftaincy and the throne. When a chief is enskinned, he is seated on the skin of an ox sacrificed for the occasion. In normal parlance, chiefs who are forced to abdicate are de-stooled, not de-skinned. Bawku has a long history as a flashpoint town in Ghana. In 2001, at least 28 people were killed there when factions clashed in another battle apparently sparked by a relatively small crime, the destruction of a small shop. The international human rights group Amnesty International has expressed concern about the lack of political will to solve the crisis. The group said in a statement that the failure to resolve the conflict stems from a game of hurt no one in order to win all votes. An interview with the business community in Bawku revealed that some businessmen and women from Bawku have re-located their businesses to other parts of the region notably Bolgatanga and Zebilla. While some traders felt secure doing business in Bawku, others said they did not, citing the general insecurity and the decline in commercial activities as their reasons. The decline in business is further reflected in the assemblys revenue mobilization.   It collected 507.2 million cedis as against an estimated revenue target of 749.3 million cedis at the end of December 2001. The District Co-ordinating Director, Mr. Ibrahim Alhassan attributed the assemblys plight to looting of its coffers by revenue collectors in the wake of the conflict last December. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) seeking to bring peace to the area have been organising seminars, dialogues and brokered peace accords endorsed by the two main factions, the Kusasis and Mamprusis. This years United Nations (UN) day for peace and reconciliation was specially dedicated to Bawku to get the people to appreciate the need for peace the area. Advocates for peace in the area have suggested the combination of extensive military tactics to retrieve arms and diplomacy and education to bringing lasting peace to the area. 1.2 STUDY AREA INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW OF THE MUNICIPALITY LOCATION AND SIZE Bawku Municipality is one of the nine districts and municipalities in the Upper East Region of Ghana. It is located approximately between latitudes 11o 111 and 10o 401North and longitude 0o 181W and 0o 61E in the north-eastern corner of the region. The municipality has a total land area of about 1215.05 sq km. It shares boundaries with Burkina Faso, the Republic of Togo, Bawku West District and Garu Tempane District to the north, east, west and south respectively. The Bawku Municipal Assembly was established by LI 1738, 2004. LEADERSHIP OF THE ASSEMBLY Hon. A. A. Awuni Presiding Member Hon. MusahAbdulai Municipal Chief Executive Mr. P. K. Kuupol Municipal Coordinating Director LOCAL ENVIRONMENT LAND COVERAGE AREA The Municipality has a total land area of about 1215.05 sq km. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS As with the whole of the Upper East Region, Bawku Municipality is part of the interior continental climatic zone of the country characterized by pronounced dry and wet seasons. The two seasons are influenced by two oscillating air masses. First is the warm, dusty and dry harmattan air mass which blows from the north easterly direction across the whole municipality from the Sahara Desert. During the period of its influence (late November early March) rainfall is entirely absent, vapour pressure is very low (less than 10 mm) and relative humidity rarely exceeds 20% during the day but may rise to 60% during the nights and early mornings. Temperatures are usually modest at this time of the year by tropical standards (26 0c 28 0c). May to October marks the wet season. During this period, the whole of the West African sub-region including Bawku Municipality is under the influence of a deep tropical maritime air mass. This air mass together with rising conviction currents, provide the Municipality with rains. The total rainfall amounts to averagely 800m per annum. A striking characteristic of the rainfall worth noting is the extreme variability and reliability both between and within seasons. Another striking characteristic is the large quantity of rain water normally lost through evapo-transpiration from open water surfaces. An estimate of the volume of rain water loss varies from 1.55mm to 1.65mm per annum. POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS The estimated total population of Bawku Municipality is 205,849. Its population density is 169 persons per square kilometer. The population of the Municipality constitutes about twenty percent of the Upper East Regions population and 0.99 percent of the Nations population. The population is 20 percent urban and 80 percent rural. The dependency ratio is 1:1:25. About 55 percent of the population is outside the working group which constitutes a stress on the working population. Household sizes in the Municipality are fairly large like it pertains in most parts of the country. According to the 2000 population census report, on the average there are seven persons per household. Though these large households could mean availability of labour, it has some financial implication in terms of feeding, healthcare, education, clothing etc.The large number of household therefore constitute economic burden. POPULATION GROWTH RATE The population growth rate of the Municipality is 1.1. ETHNIC GROUPINGS The predominant tribes in the Municipality are Kusasis, Mamprusis, Bissas and Moshies with Kusasis forming the majority followed by Mamprusis. However, there are quite a number of migrants from other parts of the country, especially the south (most of whom are civil servants) and the neighbouring countries like Togo and Burkina Faso. Ethnic heterogeneity has had implications for harmony in the Municipality. In the very recent past, there have been sporadic violent ethnic clashes between the Kusasis and Mamprusis. It is expected however, that inter-marriages among the diverse ethnic groupings will provide the impetus for peaceful co-existence. The predominant languages spoken in the municipality are Kusal, Mampruli, Bissa and Moli. There are however quite a number of other languages spoken in the Municipality including Hausa, Ga, Gurune, and Twi. EDUCATION Education and literacy provide the opportunity for individuals to participate in a wider job market. In the Municipality, the standard of education is generally low as compared to that of the nation as a whole. Though the Municipality has seen a lot of interventions in the construct ion of new school buildings, many schools are still accommodated in dilapidated structures with some children still receiving lessons under tress and unclouded pavilions. Senior High School (SHS):- The Municipality has two (2) SHS, one Technical Institute, a Vocational Institute, Teacher Training College and a Nurses Training College. These institutions are opened to not only the Bawku Municipality but to the whole of Upper East Region and beyond. HEALTH The Municipal Health Management Team (MHMT) is headed by the Municipal Director of Health Services, assisted by Medical Assistants, Senior Nurses and Technical staff. Health care in the Municipality is provided through hospitals, health Centres, CHPS Centres and private clinics. 1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Conflicts are seen as a serious problem in our Ghanaian community and the world at large. The predominant types of conflicts in Ghana are so-called Chieftaincy Conflicts, which are centred on the chieftaincy institution. Relatively, the institution has survived the impositions of both the colonial and the post-colonial regimes that have included them within the boundaries of the modern states (see Nukunya (1992, 77-78). A country that has experienced many major developmental programmes undoubtedly is contingent on peace and stability. However, regardless of all this serious conflict-free campaigns, the bawku municipality in the upper east region of Ghana is still saddled with series of conflicts which posses so many threats on life and properties. People have ascertained that the root cause of the conflict lies on the fact that dubious and unscrupulous people in the area want to use the unsecured nature of the area to intentionally cause fear and panic in other to rob people off their properties. Secondly others are Also of the view that the conflicts dwells largely on chieftaincy. Notwithstanding, others still ascertain that their differences in political ideologies, farmlands, celebration of festivals, the unable ness on the part of the Mamprusis to have their damba festival celebrated and as well perform the funeral of the late Naba Calipha among others are the cause of the conflict in the municipality which leaves in its wake hunger and poverty. Generally, Chieftaincy disputes erupt when there are two or more rival claimants to a vacant à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾stoolà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ or à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾skinà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸, the symbols of kingship or chieftaincy in the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾traditionalà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ state. The rival claimants to such traditional authority may either belong to different ethnic groups or to different lineages of the founding family. These are exacerbated by direct as well as discreet political interventions in chieftaincy affairs. For instance, when governments support loyal claimants to chieftaincy positions against less amenable ones has led to tensions between traditional rulers and government officials on the one hand, and between rival claimants to chieftaincy positions on the other hand. So too have attempts by wealthy pretenders to gain the position on the basis of wealth and influence in society. Currently, it is estimated that there are over 100 chieftaincy conflicts in Ghana, centred on ethnicity, succ ession to traditional political office and the struggle over land (Tsikata and Seini, 2004; 25). In Ghana, the struggle to become a Chief may turn violent: when the historical, political, economic and social circumstances around the establishment of the chieftaincy institution in a traditional state become contested; when the rules of succession become unclear; when successive national governments and political parties support one group against the other in a bid to serve their own parochial political interest; and when there are small and light weapons available to the factions in the dispute. However, though chieftaincy conflicts are largely localized (as the disputes occur within the boundaries of the traditional state), and the associated violence hardly spills over into neighbouring traditional states, the conflicts social, political and economic ripples become felt beyond the conflict zone. Conflict has serious implications on development in countries affected by it, not only in terms of the difficulty of implementing development policies, but also because it leads to more poverty and lower growth, loss of lives, damage to properties, displacement of families, slows down development, among others. The puzzling question remains as to the effects, consequences, and what should be done to eliminate or mitigate the impact of it in our societies these days. It is against this background that the researcher seeks to determine the root cause and its effects on life, property and suggest ways of bringing peaceful resolution and settlement in the conflict prone areas in the Bawku municipality. 1.4 Objectives and Aims This study is about how chieftaincy conflicts can impact on the peace and socio-economic development and growth of businesses, Individuals, localities and countries. GENERAL OBJECTIVE The main objective is to examine the effects of conflicts on the growth and development of businesses in the Bawku Municipality as well as to make recommendations to policy makers on the way forward. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: To examine the effects of the chieftaincy conflict on economic activities (commerce, agriculture and industry). To examine the effects of the violence on livelihoods of people: seen in terms of the household poverty and employment opportunities. Governance in terms of revenue collection and expenditure on security. To determine the effects of the conflicts on health and education. To make recommendations on how the conflict can be resolved/managed peacefully on a permanent basis. 1.5 RESEARCH QUESTION Is chieftaincy a possible cause of the conflict in the bawku municipality? Does ownership of farmlands form part of the causes of the conflict in the municipality? 1.6 Significance of the Study My research on the effects of the Bawku chieftaincy conflict seeks to present empirical evidence that communal violence negatively affects the socio-economic development of local communities where they take place. This research will investigate the effects of the perennial violence in Bawku on the ability of the Municipal Assembly, the Local Council and the people of the area as a whole to mobilize resources to improve their well being. Apart from contributing to the knowledge base on effects of conflict, this research will provide a basis for policy making towards resolving and managing communal (ethnic and chieftaincy) conflicts 1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY: This research is expected to cover a period of one year and the associated limitations will be: Financial constraints/difficulties to be able to cover the required people and place. Inadequate and not straightforward answers or response from respondents is eminent or likely. Risky to venture into homes of respondents who were/are badly affected as it reminds them of their unfortunate and unplanned past memories. Answers/response will not be objective as respondents are/will be giving responses to favour their faction at the expense of the other faction. LITERATURE REVIEW 2. 0 Conflict has serious implications for development in countries affected by it, not Only in terms of the difficulty of implementing development policies, but also because it Leads to more poverty and lower growth, which are very serious root causes of conflict. Chronic conflicts continue to exist and to devastate the lives and economies of the People in the affected countries (and, to a lesser extent, on non-conflict-affected Countries). Naturally, this has created a precarious and unpredictable Environment that has not been conducive to fostering economic activities. Ongoing incidents of violence since 2008 seem to indicate similarly localised and minor disputes can become the basis for inter-group conflict on a larger scale. There are quite a few published works on the effects of conflicts on development in Ghana in general, but none on the effects of the Bawku chieftaincy conflict on the growth and development of businesses in the bawku Municipality. Recent literature on conflicts in Ghana has concentrated on the inter-ethnic and intra ethnic conflicts, since these are the dominant causes of conflicts in the country. A governance deficiencyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ has been cited by some of these works as the cause of the recurring ethnic and communal violence in many parts of Ghana. (Akwetey, 1996: Lund, 2003: Jonsoon, 2007). Akwetey for instance argues that the absence of adequate democratic institutions is to blame for the recurring violence. Avenues for expressing interest and demands are non-existent. Christian Lund (2003), in an analysis of the longstanding ethno-political conflict between the Kusasi and the Mamprusi in Bawku, has argued that the politicisation of the Bawku conflict has affected government efforts to resolve the conflict. He asserts that a wide range of political- including party-political- and economic competition over chieftaincy, land, markets, names of places and other issues are cut to fit the ethnic distinction as conflicts over rights and prerogatives are rekindled accounting for the perennial violence. According to Julia Jonsson (2007), in a crises working on Traditional leadership and ethnic conflicts in Northern Ghana, asserts that the link between development and conflict in the region, exist on different practical levels: In the actors discourse in the socio-economic grievances they perceive as important in the causation of the conflict, through the effects of the fighting. She concludes that conflicts have disrupted the development of the region: destroyed its resources and development projects. Moreover, according to Kusimi, et al. (2006), in a paper on conflicts in Northern Ghana, have expressed the view that violent clashes in that part of the country affect economic development (destruction of farms and produce; prevents cultivation of lands; disrupt economic activities; discourage investment, labour flow and tourism) (see also Brukum, 2007). They also assert that conflicts in the region affect educational levels and divert governments attention from tackling pressing national issues relating to development, to restoring peace and order. In an article on the Guinea Fowl War of 1994 in the Northern Region, Emmy Toonen (1999) asserts that the conflict affected inter-ethnic co-operation in the region. Though the situation has improved, she claims that the Konkomba are still too afraid to enter Tamale, the regional capital where the Dagomba are the majority. She also claims that medical and educational facilities in the region were also affected. Security has a direct impact on the levels of investment. The violence associated with the chieftaincy conflict in the Bawku municipality affects investments in the different sectors of the municipal economy. I present the data on the effects, sector by sector. Agriculture: The violence resulting from the chieftaincy conflict adversely affects production, marketing and investment in agriculture, the dominant economic activity in the Bawku municipality. During outbreak of violence in the Municipality, farmers, especially those engaged in the cultivation of perishable foodstuffs such as watermelons and onions suffer heavy losses. Watermelons and onions are cultivated by irrigation and need constant tendering. When violence breaks out, most farmers are forced to abandon their crops because they fear being either attacked or because of the curfew instituted by the government/security apparatus. Furthermore, the transportation networks are also disrupted during violent clashes and farmers are unable to transport their foodstuff to the market places. These results in the foodstuffs getting rotten on the farms, the markets are deprived of these produce, scarcity sets in while their prices soar in the Municipality and the country as a whole. Commerce: Commerce, the second most important economic activity in the Bawku municipality, has also been negatively affected by the chieftaincy conflict. The officials from the Municipal Assembly asserted that, commercial activities as a whole is negatively affected by the perennial violence in the Municipality. The Assembly finds it very difficult to attract potential investors. Such activities as looting, robbery and the general lawlessness, which bring businesses to a standstill during violent clashes, scare away potential investors. The officials also cited the out migration of business people to other parts of the country as a direct effect of the perennial violence in the Municipality. Restricted movement, disruptions in businesses, the loss of capital through burning of houses and shops, and limited and selective business transactions (this means that people will normally not do business with members of the other side, this limits the market available to each trader) were all cited by various respondents as effects of the violence which are disincentives to business in the Municipality. Amidst these chaos and confusions and the general instability in the municipality pragmatic efforts have been put in place to take of the problem of which a few of those as have been kept in place by the central government and the leadership of the municipality are as seen below; A number of security measures have been put in place to respond to the perennial violence from the chieftaincy conflict and to reassure people to go about their normal daily lives without fear. Some of these measures include the stationing of a rapid response Air-Borne Force and a significantly larger police force in the Municipality. These measures mean that central government and the municipal authorities have had to channel more resources into maintaining the military and police presence. The Municipal Assembly spends GH ¢25037 every month on the Air-Borne Forces (source; municipal chief executive). In addition, the municipal assembly pays their communication, health, and fuel bills. Some other steps towards mitigating this conflict and its influence in our society, businesses and the world at as suggested by (source; Emmanuel bombande-executive member of wanepb) are as follows; (a) the need for effective dialogue by the various stakeholders; (b) the equal distribution of farmlands and other resources; (c) the rightful à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾ownersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ should be allowed to occupy the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾Skinà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸; (d) political parties should stop interfering in the chieftaincy conflict; (e) the Regional House of Chiefs or the National House of Chiefs are the appropriate authorities to resolve the conflict; and (f) the need for education and understanding. Some pessimists who enjoy pleasure in war argue that the conflict cannot be resolved and suggested that the two sides should be allowed to fight until one faction emerges victorious and asserts dominance 3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY INTRODUCTION The researcher will base his methodology on the following: Population of the area Sampling design Sampling techniques Data collection techniques Population of the area The estimated total population of Bawku Municipality is 205,849. Its population density is 169 persons per square kilometer. The population of the Municipality constitutes about twenty percent of the Upper East Regions population and 0.99 percent of the Nations population. The population is 20 percent urban and 80 percent rural. The dependency ratio is 1:1:25. About 55 percent of the population is outside the working group which constitutes a stress on the working population. Household sizes in the Municipality are fairly large like it pertains in most parts of the country. According to the 2000 population census report, on the average there are seven persons per household. Though these large households could mean availability of labour, it has some financial implication in terms of feeding, healthcare, education, clothing etc.The large number of household therefore constitute economic burden. POPULATION GROWTH RATE The population growth rate of the Municipality is 1.1. Sampling design The researcher will use an interview process and personal observation in gathering the information. Interview is a personal or one on one interaction between an interviewer and his targeted respondents on an issue where the interviewer has a predetermined motive whereas observation is the personal foresight of how things will go like. Sampling techniques The researcher will use simple random sampling where respondents from both factions will have equal chance of being selected for questioning. Data collection techniques The researcher will use the primary data in gathering his information. With the primary data, the researcher gathers his information through personal encounter and observation of the situation.

Teaching Philosophy :: School Education Essays

Philosophy Is it possible when you are a child to know what you want to spend the majority of your life doing? I believe that some people know what path they will choose even at a very young age. I found that I am one of those people since I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. Teaching is a unique, demanding profession that I have chosen since I enjoy being around young people and helping people understand new concepts. I have chosen to teach math and business. I want to teach math because I have been in so many math classes in which students have struggled and I want to be able to help students who struggle understand and apply the concepts. I want to teach business because technology and business has become such a significant part of society and I want to prepare young people for that aspect of their futures. In order to provide my students with the best education I can offer, I will focus on the philosophies of progressivism and existentialism. First, I will focus on progressivism because it focuses on practicality. What good is possessing knowledge if you cannot apply what you know in life? The best answers are discovered through trial and error: discovering what works and what does not. I like the progressive approach because it focuses on application more than memorization, and focuses around the students more than the teacher. After all, America was intended to be a democracy, not a monarchy. I believe I can provide my students with a more than adequate education without major disciplinary issues by earning their respect and without making them feel inferior. I plan to give sufficient attention to students with unique learning styles and exceptionalities. I believe I can stray away from the traditional teacher centered classroom and still maintain structure in an effort to provide the most beneficial environment for my students. In addition to focusing on progressivism, I will also focus on existentialism. I believe an existentialist approach, if used effectively, will help mold my students into responsible people who at least know they are accountable for their actions.

Online Business And Internet Strategies Essay

Internet presence for a business is a powerful communication and advertisement tool. Using a website to sell a physical product, a service or an intellectual property, becomes an incredibly cost-efficient business tool. Online businesses are environmentally friendly and a sign of professionalism today. Business through Internet can help to increase the projected revenues for any product that can be conceived. Marketing over the internet also means that there would not be any worries about the attrition of employees or inventory liability. Potential buyers are better expected to find a website of your business than about you or your country.   Choice of Business Focusing on a business sector like the providers of corrugated-paper boxes to large businesses, would be great idea to start. With its uniqueness, this type of online business venture will also ensure that online competition is minimal. Of course they are many prospects that are untapped in this field. The target market for placing online orders of paper boxes would be: Large fast-food chains that are expanding their businesses in newly liberalized economies of Eastern Europe. (UNCTAD, 2005) Small and large courier companies that rely on huge quantities of paper boxes for every kind of shipment. Businesses and shops of any scale and any location would require efficient packaging material. Other online businesses that require to ship physical products to their customers like online art auctions, gift sellers and gadget showcases, may require fluctuating quantities of paper boxes. Since they cannot stock such an item as packaging material, the best option would be to purchase the required quantity online. Capital and Infrastructure The main advantage of setting up this online business would require minimal investment at the onset just as in any other online venture. Another positive is that the customers usually pay upfront in online businesses, so the cash conversion cycle would always keep the business with cash-in-hand. Major chunk of initial investment would be towards: purchasing a suitable domain name that either resembles â€Å"paper box† or the region where the potential customers are located. For instance if McDonald’s from USA is planning to set-up new outlets in Eastern Europe, then the domain name could be www.boxesineurope.com (this domain is available) purchasing a suitable website hosting service provider (hosting company for website space and website design) by checking that company’s website. One should be thorough about a web-hosting provider’s integrity and background as many of them stoop to blackmail their clients if they see a profit-making business. So, it is imperative for the safety and security of my business as well potential clients. cost of â€Å"search engine optimization† of websites should be taken care of at the design stage itself. Websites that are better optimized for search engines, appear at a higher rank than other when a search of a particular â€Å"term† is run on the popular search engines like Google. Most importantly, all the results with the term â€Å"paper box providers in Eastern Europe†, apart from my website, would be my competitors. So I would be pro-active in spending some amount getting a better ranking on search engines. there would be random costs involved that include the cost of getting a high speed internet connection, setting up communication network with local manufacturers of paper boxes, office equipment etc; of course my own basement will serve as office. Strategic Alliances The most important business partners could be located online and the best way to check their authenticity, quality and service would be to set up meeting with them, if they are geographically approachable. Otherwise, even through good business proposition email, any business would like to expand and extend their network. (NFIB, 2002) Most important allies for my website www.boxesineurope.com would be quality manufacturers of boxes. Again, their website, portfolio and background would be a good measure of their reliability.   Marketing My Online Business Website: Promoting a website means to increase the number of visitors reaching the webpages. Larger the number of visitors, higher would be the probability that their visits would convert into potential business or purchase. So increasing website â€Å"traffic† would be the main aim of any online business; including mine. Here are few options that I would explore to improve the visibility and accessibility of www.boxesineurope.com: In order to get the most of search engines, I would keep the website search engine optimized and updated. A part of revenue will be diverted to professaional optimizers. For instance Google recenlty annouced that more than 5 billion searches took place on their search engine in a month of 2005; even a conversion rate of 5% can give huge returns on the amount of money spend on search engine optimization. To put it simply, even if 5 out 100 visitors on my website, turn into actual customers, then cost accrued in bringing those 100 visitors bears huge profits. (Gonsalves, 2006) I would use online advertizements, banners and sponsored links on the websites that my potential customers are likely to visit. Since, the target market is widely distributed, sales professionals or procurement personnel of my potential customers are likely to search for few specific terms. (NCC Ltd   2007) Websites that are non-competitors for my business but show on such search results, became an ideal business partners for exchanging website links. As people who likely to be their customers may reach my website and potential buyers of paper boxes may reach their website. Sponsored links through search engines can help me to generate revenue even if I do not sell the product showcased on my website. So, it’s an alternative tool to generate capital that could be invested in online advertizements. To keep customers coming back the focus would to upgrade/update the website frequently. I would keep changing product picture and text design without compromising on the sober looks of the webpages. Posting periodic newsletter on the site would be a good idea to to provide something new to read for the visitors. Once the website popularity improves, I would focus on building a database of my consumers or those who simply enquired about the products. Such a database will provde invaluable and dividing visitors into segments will be very useful for launching targeted marketing campaigns. There are also advanced software to help in refining online marketing to different sets of customers. (Business Link, 2007) Email: Since the online business marketing is for the net users, emails would provide useful for building relationships and keeping my acquaintances aware about my business. Periodic emails, popularly known as newsletters can assist to update the customers about offers. Email is a less intrusive mode than telephone marketing. I would be searching the liason offices and business personnel of potential customer and send them personalized emails. Hiring a third party for doing email marketing may prove illegal in case they try to spam. (Prodesk, 1999) Short Messaging Service: Marketing via text messaging is a viable option as almost everybody carries a mobile phone these days. However, I would be careful to not to invade privacy by sending unsolicited and unexpected messages to unknown people. Though equipped technically and planned well ahead of time, even an online business would require certain ethics that I would never violate. I would ensure that customers get exactly what they order and in the promised time. website visitors will always be secure regarding their personal information and banking credentials like credit cards, debit cards or any other mode of transaction. there would be strict filtering for spam, viruses and any other security threats for the website visitors and customers alike. investment would be timely to keep the technology and the content of the website updated to real time ie an outdated or irrelevant information would never be displayed. With these marketing strategies and plan for online business, I am confident of setting up a viable internet business enterprise. REFERENCES    United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. (2005) Report : â€Å"Eastern Europe remains top FDI destination†. Available on: http://www.euractiv.com/en/enlargement/eastern-europe-remains-top-fdi-destination/article-143913 National Federation of Independent Business. (2002). â€Å"Benefits of Online Services to Independent Business†: NFIB. Available on: http://www.nfib.com/object/1583715.html Gonsalves, Antone. (2006). â€Å"Google Grabs Half Of Booming Web Search Market†: TechWeb News National Computing Centre. (2007) Available on: http://www.nccmembership.co.uk/ Business Link. (2007). â€Å"Practical advice for business† Available on: http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/ Prodesk. (1999). â€Å"Email Marketing Strategies Revealed†: www.prodesk.com BIBLIOGRAPHY Woodhead, Robert. (2007) www.selfpromotion.com 2007 Simpson, Gemma. (2006).†UK small businesses set to boost IT budgets†: ZDNet.co.uk Available on: http://news.zdnet.co.uk/itmanagement/0,1000000308,39285382,00.htm

Quality is Being Perfect

Achieving quality† is said to be a major issue throughout industry, commerce and government bodies. It†s just not passing craze of flavour of the month. Quality is vital for growth, survival and prosperity of every organisation. Nowadays, more and more organisations are placing greater emphasis on quality in order for them to prosper and become successful. In this essay I will be explaining the different concepts of quality, which are established by different institutes and people. I will then compare these concepts and give my view on each of them. In the second part of this essay I will be looking at areas of commonality and difference between ‘quality of product manufacture† and ‘quality in service†. Quality is difficult to define but what is sure is that we all know when it is achieved and when it is not. This assessment of quality is subjective and it can vary from different perceptions of individuals. It is the perception of the individual, by what influences his experience and what he thinks. Overall, the word quality can mean different things to different people. For example, the first car that I bought appeared to me to be of superior quality, even though it was thirteen years old, had many rust patches and the roof was leaking. On the other hand, a company director who drives a Rolls Royce may think that the car is a load of scrap. The second-hand car to me was quite satisfactory where it got me to my required destinations, but the company director may think it is bad advertisement and unreliable. For this reason, quality can be defined as ‘fitness for purpose†. It can be defined as fitness for purpose because the second-hand car was fit for my purpose. The definition ‘fitness for purpose†, was defined by an early American quality guru, Dr Joseph Juran. He always believed that if a product was fit for purpose, then it was a quality product. But from my perspective, this is not always true. This is because the second-hand car that I bought was fit for my purpose (transported me in safety), but it was not conceived to be a quality car by many of the people who I showed it to, except the sycophants who always tried to please me. Many people stated that the car was a ‘reject† due to the fact that it was rusty and the roof was leaking. Now that I have sold it, I would agree with these people, it was not a quality car, but it was fit for purpose. So therefore, this prime example gives you an indication that ‘fitness for purpose† does not always mean quality. The definition begs the question of ‘whose purpose? † Plato†s (philosopher) theory suggests that it was the customer who defined the purpose and the customer who defined quality. But Juran†s definition does not even mention the purpose of the customer. Another problem with the fitness for purpose definition is that the purpose may not always be known. Juran believes that the majority of quality problems are because of poor management, rather than poor employee work. In general, he believes that management controllable defects account for over 80 per cent of total quality management problems. Overall, Juran†s definition is too elementary where there is a need to closely define to what is going to be offered, then quality can become ‘conformance to requirements†. Conformance to requirement is widely used in industry to define quality. â€Å"This definition is often attributed to Philip Crosby, another well-known guru of quality†. (Owen,B 1995). Crosby believed that if a product were conformed to requirement, then there would be no such thing as a quality problem where the company itself has established its products based directly on its customers† needs. The Crosby definition places an emphasis to meet a certain specification that also leads to an emphasis on the reliability of the product or service. Reliability ranks with quality in importance where â€Å"it is the ability of the product or service to continue to meet the customer requirements†. (Oakland, 1995). Crosby also states that when a product is produced or when a service is delivered, it should have ‘zero defects†, where you should ‘get it right first time†. What zero defects means is not that people never make mistakes, but that the company does not start expecting them to make mistakes. But from my point of view and from Juran†s perspective, the zero defects approach cannot always help an organisation to achieve quality. Juran believes that employees should be given long-term training, where it should start at the top of the hierarchy of the organisation. The problem with Crosby†s quality control approaches are that there can be clear dangers that the customers can become less important than the standard of the product because there is too much emphasis on control and getting things right first time. This is because every organisation should be able to make certain mistakes and learn from them the next time around. One advantage of his approach is that he places more emphasis on prevention, rather than inspection, so therefore, there can be increased quality where the costs can decrease and thus increasing profits. The main problem with Crosby†s definition is that it is too simplistic. Producing a product that is conformed to requirement that has had no problems during the manufacturing process does not necessarily mean that it is a quality product. For example, a golf player who completes a round without breaking the rule is not necessarily a good quality player. Also, a driver who drives home without breaking the law is not necessarily a quality driver The fitness for purpose and conformance to requirement definitions seeks to establish a level of performance that is acceptable to customers where their needs are met and where they have no cause to complain. But between these two levels there is a ‘grey† area, where the specification is achieved, but where the customers may feel that they have not gained value. For this reason quality can be concerned with ‘ providing a service that delights our customers†. This definition was originated by the late American quality guru, Dr W. Edwards Deming. â€Å"He was the first American quality expert to teach Japanese managers about quality. â€Å"Deming†s work in Japan has been identified as putting Japan on the road to leadership in international business and industry†. (Internet). Deming argued that the customer should not just be satisfied, but delighted in order to gain repeat custom. He also stated that you should always keep ahead of your customers† expectations that include every aspect of supplier-customer relationship, not just the product or service being provided. From my perspective, Deming†s approach to quality is much more perplexing than Juran and Crosby†s definitions. Both Juran and Crosby were focused too much on the product, but Deming covers all of the aspects of quality. Deming also allocates the measurement of quality through statistical calculations where Juran and Crosby are more concerned with the production process measurements. Another quality guru, Armand V. Feiggenbaum who is the chairman of the International Academy of Quality, stresses that quality does not mean ‘best†, but ‘best for the customer use and selling price†. What Fienbaum†s definition is trying to say is that products should be produced to customer requirements and be sold at a good reasonable price, thus achieving quality. From my perspective, this is a good definition. For example, if I buy a television that contains a lot of features, it†s reliable, unique and it is at a good reasonable price, then it would be a quality product to me. Also many people associate price with quality, people expect better quality when paying more, thus Fienbaum gives a good clear definition of quality. To Fienbaum, quality is a way of managing an organisation. He stresses that quality does not only mean that customer problems have to be fixed faster. Like Juran, he says that leadership is essential to a company†s success. Finally, I am going to talk about a well known Japanese guru, Kaoru Ishikawa who is known as the father of ‘quality circles†. Ishikawa stresses that ‘quality does not only mean the quality of a product, but also of after sales service, quality of management, the company itself and the human being. Ishikawa†s definition is trying to say that all of the aspects of the organisation have to be known to be of good quality standard. For example, Rolls Royce produces quality cars but also the company itself and the management is known to be of good quality. So therefore if all of the aspects of the organisation are good quality, then this can lead to good corporate reputation, thus increasing sales and profits. Overall, Ishikawa†s definition is similar to Deming†s and Fienbaum†s definition, where there is a focal point to look at all of the stages of providing quality. In conclusion, all of the guru†s definitions are different and have all proved to be successful in their own situations. It is also worth remembering that all the gurus are consultants and have different definitions due to the fact that they come from different business backgrounds, so therefore, their approaches to quality differ from each other. Now that I have defined the different concepts of quality, I am now going to explain the difference between ‘quality in product manufacture† and ‘quality in service delivery†. A product is any goods other than land, bridges or buildings and includes a product which is comprised within another product whether by virtue of being a component part or raw material or otherwise†. (Dale and Plunkett, 1994). On the other hand â€Å"A service encounter is any direct interaction between a service provider and customers†. (Dale and Plunkett, 1994). Industries, such as financial services, health care, tourism, government, transport and communications have their business activities focused on services rather than products. Quality customer service is now a focus of every organisation where it is typically achieving a competitive advantage. â€Å"Consumers, be they individuals, households or businesses, are more aware of the alternatives on offer; in relation to both services/products, and to provide organisations and rising standards of service†. (Dale and Plunkett, 1994). Overall, the quality of service delivery has become as important as the quality of product manufacture. However, they have several characteristics that distinguish them from each other when providing quality to customers. One main difference between quality in product manufacture and quality in service delivery is that products are tangible and services are not. So therefore when manufacturing a product, a firm will have to make sure that there are no defects on the product and that the product is conformed to requirement. This is because if there are any defects on the product, then consumers have a right to complain with tangible evidence (the product). On the other hand, services are intangible; there is usually little or no tangible evidence to show once a service has been performed. For example, when a mortgage adviser has given his proposition to a consumer, later the consumer will have little or no evidence of the service delivery to prove how good or bad it was. So consequently, from one perspective, service organisations can afford to make mistakes and not get blamed for them, although it can lead to a bad corporate image and serious damages, such as in health care situations. Overall, quality in a product will be evident but quality in service delivery does not always have to be evident due to the fact that services can be intangible. Another key difference between these two is that poor quality products can be replaced but poor quality services cannot always be replaced. So therefore, as Philip Crosby says, you will have to ‘get it right first time† with ‘zero defects† when delivering a service. Overall, an organisation can afford to make mistakes when achieving quality in a manufactured product. But an organisation cannot afford to make mistakes when delivering a service due to the fact that it is very hard or impossible to rectify a poor quality service. For example, if a nurse in the hospital drops a baby and as a result, the baby has a brain damage, then this mistake in the service will be very impossible to rectify. So therefore, in services, such as health care, there are generally fewer errors than in products due to the serious consequences that a service organisation (hospital) can face if it makes a mistake. As Deming states, organisations will have to delight the consumer through their services in order to achieve quality. So therefore, it is essential for service providers, such as doctors, to get it right first time. One other major difference is that it is more difficult to use quality standards in services than products, in the conventional sense. This is because there is the characteristic of heterogeneity, where variability exists in services as a function of labour inputs and non-standardisation of delivery. (Dale and Plunkett, 1994). There can be small variations in products but services can have large variations, it all depends on the individual who is delivering the service. Overall, different individuals deliver services in various different ways. Elimination of the virus of variability in products is easier to tackle than services. Deming†s concept of statistical control is widely used in industry in order to eliminate variation in products. The behaviour of the process remains the same over time with controlled variation and by the use of statistical control. If no statistical control is used, then the behaviour of the process is likely to change, usually in unpredictable ways and at unpredictable times with uncontrolled variation. So therefore, statistical control over the manufacturing of products can achieve quality and eliminate variation. But the problem with the statistical concept is that it cannot eliminate variation in service delivery, the statistical concept is only suitable for manufacturing products. From my perspective, training the staff can only eliminate service variation as Juran says. Overall, I think that huge variations in products such as Walkers Crisps can devalue the product because consumers expect the same taste from each packet, that is said to be of good quality and number one in the UK market. However, there is slight variation in Walkers Crisps, but this is usually common with ever packet of crisp. Recently, there was a research taking place in the UK that is working towards eliminating the variation of tastes of each crisp. The elimination of variation in crisps is another step towards achieving quality in product manufacture. On the other hand, it is sometimes said that the variation in services often produce quality. However, variations in services are usually dealt with by training the staff. Last of all, I think that it is harder to achieve and control quality in service delivery than product manufacture. This is because services (such as doctors† time) cannot be stored to meet fluctuations in demand, but products can be stored. In order to conform to requirement and delight the customer (achieve quality), service organisations will have to meet demands at perplexing times, or otherwise they will find it very difficult to achieve quality. An organisation that does not meet fluctuating demands can gain a bad corporate image, thus decreasing the overall quality of the organisation. I think that service organisations can only meet fluctuating demands by setting out standards. For example, opening seven days a week rather than five days a week or specially opening when demands are excessively high. Realistically, this can be very difficult to achieve. A recent example of a service organisation that is not meeting fluctuating demands is the National Health Authority (NHS). The flu syndrome has recently affected many people in the UK, including the elderly. As a result, more people have been attending to the doctors and hospitals, thus making it more difficult for the NHS to cope with the increasing demand levels. Many appointments and operations have been cancelled in many hospitals due to the increase of patients. This prime example gives you an idea that service organisations cannot always deliver quality due to the fact that they cannot always deliver there services on time. In the above example, many people have criticised the NHS of not providing quality services, in other words, not coping with the fluctuation of demand levels. Overall, I think that only if the whole organisational chain is functioning efficiently can quality be achieved in both products and services. The quality chain links all of the business, and its external suppliers, to provide quality to the consumers. This objective is only achieved if each chain link provides quality. If one fails, then the overall objective of achieving quality is very unlikely to be achieved, the chain will not be functioning properly. For example, if a sales assistant does not have enough knowledge on a certain product, then the customer will not receive sufficient information on the product by the sales assistant,thus the quality of the product will be unrecognised. So therefore, the sales assistant is letting every one else down in the quality chain, thus, the chain will not will moving effectively. In overall conclusion, I think that different individuals perceive quality in different ways because everyone has different perceptions. I also think that in their definitions of quality, the gurus are looking at different aspects of quality in order to find different ways of saying the same thing. Basically, ‘meeting customer requirements† achieves quality because you are producing and delivering what the customer wants you to produce and deliver. As well as meeting customer requirements, ‘delighting the customer† is also a good concept of quality because you are going beyond your customers† expectations when delighting your customer with a product or service. However, all the gurus have different definitions due to the fact that they specialise in different business backgrounds, thus they all give a good definition of quality based on their past experiences. There are many differences in achieving quality in a product than achieving quality in a service. One of the differences is that services are tangible and products are not. Thus leaving little or no evidence of service delivery, even though is was not perceived as good quality. However, if mistakes are made in certain services, then these can not always be rectified, but when manufacturing a product, mistakes can usually be rectified easily without facing serious consequences. The main difference between quality in product manufacture and quality in service delivery is that products can be stored to meet fluctuations in demand, but on the other hand, services cannot always be stored, thus decreasing the quality of service delivery. A good example of a service not being stored is the NHS that is not meeting its recent demand levels. Also, another difference between these two is that there is more variation in services than products. Product variations can usually be controlled, but service variations are more difficult to control, thus this can decrease or increase the quality of service delivery. Last of all, I think that it is more important for service providers to ‘get it right first time† due to the fact that poor services are hard to replace, where faulty products are easily replaced.