School Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

School Finance - Essay Example In fact, a 1993 circuit court of Cole County opined that "The existing school finance system does not provide an 'equal ... opportunity' for all school age children as is required by ... the Missouri Constitution" (Committee for Educational Equity v. Missouri, 1993, p. 29). As described in the decision, "various statistical measures confirm the degree and extent of these wide inequalities" (p. 13) and "All relevant standard measures of equity ... clearly and consistently indicate that Missouri funding for its public schools is highly disequalized and is getting worse" (p. 15)"(Wan Ko, 2006).This court decision instructs that the school must revise its financing policies. The court wants that school finances should be EQUALLY allocated to all children irregardless of race, religion, sex, etc. This new financing policy introduces a new hold harmless provision. Hold harmless schools clearly receive more than the normal monetary help than other schools receive. As a result, these hold ha rmless school districts give more accurate equity analysis for evaluating the state's policy impact. this study of the Missouri school finance system shows that there was an improvement in the Missouri school's finance equity under the new funding formula. However, there were times when financial help did not arrive as schedule or came only in trickles. One reason is that the monetary help had come from other sources and not from the newly approved funding schemes. Evidently, this article shows that schools need money in order to deliver high quality education to the students(Wan Ko, 2006). II. A Helping Hand: A Federal Grant Program Gives School Districts the Financial Support The Need to Develop Updated, Comprehensive Disaster Plans. The article mentions how tornadoes ravaged several towns in Missouri. The tornadoes literally scattered some elementary school buildings in the community. In Caulfied, MO, a tornado killed a seven year old girl named Elizabeth Croney. Likewise, a school in Derby, KS had to close down to allow police officers to corner and arrest an armed criminal in front the the school's premises. Many of the schools are not accustomed to confronting increasing threats from many quarters. The dangers include natural disasters, street gangs and terrorists. Many of the schools' administrators and responsible personnel underwent emergency disaster training to counter the effects of any emergency. The Department of Education's office of safe and drug -free schools spearheaded this campaign to help schools be more prepared to alleviate any emergency. In turn, the schools would be given REMS funds that would be used for the schools' disaster awareness and readiness program. The United States government has focused on school disaster preparedness programs in response to the infamous September eleven twin tower airline hijacking incidents as well as the ramming of a commandeered passenger plane onto the Pentagon. For, "If you think back to 9/11, there were a lot of lessons learned from that incident," according to Sara Strizzi, who is a program analyst for the DoE in Washington, DC. One of those lessons was the vulnerability of K-12 campuses. "We realized that within the ground zero vicinity, there were a lot of schools close by."(Bowles, 2007). Here, the government of

Should Teachers Be Able to Remove Disruptive Students Essay Example for Free

Should Teachers Be Able to Remove Disruptive Students Essay Within a democracy everyone has rights; however those rights end when they are used to abuse or hinder the rights of another person within that democracy. For instance everyone has the right to entertain themselves with a listening device on the train, yet they are asked by transit authorities to use headphones so that their right to entertainment does not violate the other passengers right to peaceful, quiet commute. It is a teacher’s duty to ensure that students understand these social skills that are required of them in this democratic society. So although removing a disruptive student from a classroom is sometimes viewed as the neglecting and the rejecting of that particular student it is very often the beginning of that student’s long road to having some very complex issues resolved. As was stated in one of the previous chapter, aggression and excessively disorderly conduct is more often than not the manifestation of some very serious emotional grievances. It can also be sign that the child is suffering from an undiagnosed disorder. Although the latter is less likely to be the case it should not be ruled out. Sometimes due to a lack of knowledge about a particular disorder can cause parents to overlook certain characteristics of a condition that their children may be exhibiting. In other cases it is the parents’ unwillingness to accept the facts that are presented to them concerning their child that prevents them from seeking help for their child. This unwillingness might be due to a variety of emotions including fear and denial. Whatever the case may be these children continue to battle with these disorders and completely exhaust the efforts of those that are forced to share a classroom with them since there are almost always in need of much more than the classroom setting can offer them. Sadly, identifying underlying emotional problems can be a little more complex but the cooperation of the parents is also needed in this area. In cases where the parent is not able to or is not willing to cooperate with a teacher who is trying to encourage a child to exhibit more sociable behavior the teacher is left with very few options. For if that parent is not even willing to acknowledge that the behavior of his or her child is out of control, there will be attempt to try and discover what the source of the behavior might be. Again the removal of that student from the classroom may encourage the parent to evaluate the seriousness of the situation and this resulting communication might bring both the teacher and the parent one step closer to uncovering problem which is what the main focus should always be. Those who oppose giving this authority to teachers expect them to prepare lesson plans that will create and maintain a positive learning environment for the entire class, make sure that students are prepared to take the ever increasing state mandated test, and still be able to constantly council and pacify students who have decided to constantly disrupt the class; all within the allotted six to seven hour day, which is farther broken down into forty five minute periods for each class.

Society vs. Heart in Mark Twains Huckleberry Finn Essay -- Mark Twain

Society vs. Heart in Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ernest Hemmingway once described a novel by Mark Twain as, â€Å"†¦it is the ‘one book’ from which ‘all modern American literature’ came from† (Railton). This story of fiction, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is a remarkable story about a young boy growing up in a society that influences and pressures people into doing the so-called â€Å"right thing.† It is not very difficult to witness the parallels between the society Huck has grown up in and the society that influences the choices of people living today. However, what is it that gives society the power to draw guidelines to define the norms, trends, and what is morally right and wrong in life? Is it always the best choice to listen to your consciences, which is under the influence of society, or is it sometimes just as important to listen to your heart and what you think is right?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Society has always denounced the acts of death and children running away from their homes. Huck can be seen as a morbid child as he is always talking about death and murder. Society would rather not have anything to do with people who have such a melancholic outlook on life. Living with years of torment by his drunkard father, Pap, Huck feared the day he would return to daunt his life. When Pap does return, he seizes Huck and drags him to a secluded cabin where Huck is boarded inside and unable to leave: This is where the dilemma occurs. In this position, Huck has a decision to make, either take note to the morals of society and listen to his conscience, which will result in more added years of pain and anguish from Pap, or Huck can listen to his heart and do what he thinks is best.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Huck’s situation is so extreme (the mental and physical abuse from Pap) that he cannot take it anymore. He does what he thinks is best; Huck listens to heart rather than his conscience. In order to get away from Pap, Huck organizes an elaborate plan to arrange his own death and run away – both denounced by society - from the prison cell (cabin) and Pap. Huck, for the first time in his life, had felt what it is like to be free: â€Å"The sky looks ever so deep when you lay down on your back in the moonshine; I never knowed it before† (Twain 46).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every incident where Huck is faced with a dilemma, the situation seems to intensify. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was first pub... ... losing the acceptance of a social group, listening to the heart will leave individuals with a feeling of fulfillment and happiness. The socially unacceptable is only unacceptable because there are new ideas society is not use to: â€Å"Society opposes the good idea when it is not an accepted routine† (Growth Online). Individuals who listen to their heart have something extra than people who listen to their conscience, which is true self-respect: â€Å"The individual’s trust in himself [or herself] is superior in his [or her] trust in the society† (Growth Online). Works Cited "Growth Online." Social Influence on the Individual. 06 Apr. 2005   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hona, Leah. "Julie and the "Real World"." About. 08 2000. 06 Apr. 2005   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   King, Larry."Larry King Live." What's Driving the Popularity of `Reality TV'?. 27 2000. Transcript. 06 Apr 2005 Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. 07 Apr. 2005 . The Mormon Church has a poor record on free speech. 07 Dec 2002. 06   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Apr. 2005 . Railton, Stephen. Mark Twain in His Times. 05 Apr. 2005   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "Remembering Brian Deneke." Brian Deneke Memorial Committee. 05 Apr.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2005 Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

The Radio Makes My Ears Bleed :: essays research papers fc

The Radio Makes My Ears Bleed There is a major problem these days in entertainment, and that is there is such a lack of diversity in the music industry. Because of this problem, fewer bands will have the opportunity to go big, or get signed to a major record label. Small, local bands will never be able to get the popularity they deserve because every band is compared to one another. The same bands are played on the radio all the time, and instead of playing a variety bands, the same songs are looped and played all day long. This creates a problem because people, who think its only cool to listen to the radio, only experience the same pop music from bands signed to major labels. As a result of this, all the money stays in the corporate, record labels. I believe the main reasons are that people don't like change. It should be easier for listeners to access music of different genres. Radio stations are a major contributor to the problem of this lack of variety. They are afraid that if they play music other than what is pop, they will lose money and listeners, but in fact I believe that their listeners will grow if they expand their genres. There are several large, corporate record labels that basically empower all of the radio airwaves and MTV. I think that bands are afraid to try new styles also because once they get signed; they are controlled by their label and are influence by all the money that is tossed around. I think that some ways to fix all of these problems start with radio stations. There needs to be a station that can be accessed from all over that plays music from independent labels. I think that MTV needs to be taken off the air because the shows that it plays are all reality TV, and it no longer stands for what it was created to do, play music videos. Finally I think that another way to get independent music spread around is that have more tours like Warped Tour. I think there need to multi-stage, multi-band concerts that travel the United States. Clear Channel for example, is a company that owns of 1,200 radio stations, 37 T.V. stations, and 240 more investments in radio stations throughout the whole world. This is a great example of how all radio is the same, and controlled by a large company. They are in 248 of the top 250 radio markets, and control over half of all rock music stations. When one company owns more than half of our radio stations, you can understand why

Forensic

Although we will be focusing on the forensic sciences that typically take place in a crime laboratory, there are other types of forensic sciences that are specialized and focused on a particular area. In this section, we will briefly take a look at some of these specialty areas. Forensic Pathology/Biology Pathology is a science that deals with disease. Pathologists make use of autopsies to study the tissues and other parts of the human body for diseases. An autopsy is a dissection and examination of the body, often to determine why the person died. Pathologists may study samples like blood, tissue, and urine to identify and learn more about diseases in the body. Forensic pathology is the extension of this specialty to the criminal justice system. Forensic pathology studies sudden, unexplained, and violent deaths by using autopsies to determine the cause of death in an individual. The scientists in this field may work as medical examiners or coroners. One of the tasks that a forensic pathologist might have is to determine the time of death for a body. The medical examiner or coroner may participate in the criminal investigation by evaluating the stage of decomposition in the body. Following a person's death, the muscles of the body relax and then become rigid. Rigor Mortis, as this rigidity is known, occurs within 24 hours after death and goes away after about 36 hours. Liver Mortis also happens soon after death. This condition in the body happens as the blood stops pumping through the body and settles in the parts of the body lowest to the ground. This condition occurs within the first 12 hours after death. Another condition that can help determine the time of death is algor mortis, which is the gradual cooling of the body after death. Forensic pathologists have to consider factors like where the body is, the air temperature, and the size of the body to determine the time of death from its temperature. Forensic Anthropology Forensic anthropology specializes in the identification and examination of skeletal remains. Forensic anthropologists may also be called on to help identify the victims of disasters like fires, explosions, and plane crashes, where bodies may be burned or mutilated in some way. Forensic anthropologists help determine whether bones and skeletal remains are from a long ago burial that has been unearthed or whether they are from a more recent death, that may require investigation. Many have at least some training in archaeological methods. They also examine the bones to see if they can determine what the cause of death was. They use the bones to help determine the sex, race, and age at the time of death for the individual and in some cases, where the individual was from. Some forensic anthropologists may help with facial reconstructions, which can help identify who the person is that the bones belonged to. Forensic Psychiatry Forensic psychiatry focuses on the relationship between human behavior and criminal justice. During the course of a court case, issues of competence (whether someone is competent to stand trial or be executed) and mental illness can play a role. Forensic psychiatrists and psychologists offer insight to investigators, attorneys, judges, and juries about a suspect's mental state and their understanding of the crime committed. These scientists look at the past, present, and future of individuals. For example, they may examine whether the suspect was mentally sane at the time the crime was committed. They may also examine whether an individual is competent during a trial, such as being able to cooperate with their defense. Finally, some forensic psychiatrists examine the likelihood that an offender will repeat their crime for the purposes of probation hearings. In addition, some forensic psychiatrists may create behavioral profiles in order to help law enforcement officials identify and apprehend suspects. Forensic Entomology Forensic entomology uses the study of insects to help criminal investigations. This area is often involved with helping to determine the time of death when the situation where the death occurred is unknown. When decomposition begins, blowflies infest a body, laying eggs that eventually hatch into fly larvae (maggots). The larvae help to consume the body's organs and tissues if left alone. By studying the stage of larvae development and what type of flies and insects are present, scientists can give insight into when the death occurred. Forensic Odontology Forensic odontology provides insight into the identification of individuals through their teeth. In some cases, investigators may only have the skeletal remains, including teeth, of a body. Forensic odontologists look at teeth, their alignment, and other information to help determine who the person was. They can sometimes match the dental remains to dental records of a suspected victim. Forensic odontologists may also provide insight in cases that involve bite marks, analyzing the bite to see whether it matches that of a suspect's. As you can see, there are many different areas that forensic scientists specialize in. Each of these specialties helps the criminal justice system identify crime and the suspects that have committed the crime. This module has introduced you briefly to the world of forensic science. Forensic scientists use science within the criminal justice system. They collect and analyze evidence from crime scenes, give expert testimony, and train others about collecting evidence.

Commercialization and Media in Sports Essay Example

Commercialization and Media in Sports Essay Example Commercialization and Media in Sports Paper Commercialization and Media in Sports Paper 1. Sports have exploded across the globe in every aspect to the game. The author says that commercial sports have become global in scope for two reasons. First, those who control, sponsor, and promote them seek new ways to expand markets and maximize profits. Second, transnational corporations with production and distribution operations in multiple countries can use sports as vehicles for introducing their products and services around the world. Many professional organizations now have games played in other countries and their merchandise is sold all over the globe. Kids that have never even seen a professional American sport on television can own a Chicago Bulls shirt, I believe that this shows how powerful sports can be. Commercialization has also given many different people the chance to fulfill their dreams, without the sponsors covering many costs some people will not be able to participate in the big events to be noticed. Players’ salaries have been one of the biggest positive impacts, for players at least, since commercialization has become big. While there are probably more positive than negative impacts of commercialization in sports, there are still some negatives worth mentioning. Personally, the biggest negative aspect of commercialization is the craziness of advertising in sports. Racing is the biggest; you can barely tell the color of some of the cars because of all the decals on the cars. I believe that advertising and sponsors are necessary, but it gets carried away in some instances. The author mentions that commercialization changes the ways that sports are controlled. When sports depend on the revenues they generate, the control center in sport organizations shifts away from the athletes and toward those who have the resources to produce and promote sports. Players have started to learn that they must answer to the sponsor first. 2. Media and commercialization are closely related topics in the sociology of sport. Commercial sports are unique in that they require the media to provide a combination of coverage and news. Media has become so important that sports promoters and team owners often go out of their way to accommodate reporters, commentators, and photographers. Because of commercial television, many changes in the ways that sports are organized, scheduled, and re-presented. I do believe that some parts to the media have gotten out of control. For a company to have to pay more than 2. 5 million dollars for a thirty-second commercial during the Super Bowl in asinine. I did find it interesting that the author states that males get 90% of the coverage in all the media, and images and narratives tend reproduce ideas and beliefs about gender. I agree with most of the authors major points he makes in the chapter. Some media outlets are dependent on sports and some sports are dependant on the media. The media has made many small colleges get that special athletic talent, because of their television coverage during a NCAA tournament or a NCAA bowl game. I think that they (media and sports) do wonders for each other.

Free Essays on April Morning

In April Morning by Howard Fast Solomon Chandler is a main character with many traits. One character trait is Adam’s view of Chandler which changes throughout the novel. Chandler’s physical appearance and his war experiences are two more traits expressed in the novel. This is not Solomon Chandler’s first war experience. He was in the French and Indian War. He knows the British tactics and how they think. Therefore he takes over almost acting like a general would giving orders and organizing plans to attack against the British. In the beginning Adam views Solomon Chandler as a hero and respects him. He idolizes him because of his experiences and his way of doing things. Later Adam realizes that Chandler enjoys war. It is all like a big game to him. He wants to fight and he wants to win. Solomon is a tall man with long arms and legs and is as skinny as a starved crow. He isn’t weak he is fairly strong. He has a long face, a hooked nose, a jutting chin, and two pale blue eyes deep sunk into their sockets. He also has a mouth full of broken yellow teeth and snow-white hair. Adam says he is the most freckled and possibly most ugly man he has ever seen. Solomon Chandler is very well depicted throughout the novel. Some of his character traits are shown through the way Adam views him and his experiences at war. His physical traits give a picture of what kind of person he is.... Free Essays on April Morning Free Essays on April Morning In April Morning by Howard Fast Solomon Chandler is a main character with many traits. One character trait is Adam’s view of Chandler which changes throughout the novel. Chandler’s physical appearance and his war experiences are two more traits expressed in the novel. This is not Solomon Chandler’s first war experience. He was in the French and Indian War. He knows the British tactics and how they think. Therefore he takes over almost acting like a general would giving orders and organizing plans to attack against the British. In the beginning Adam views Solomon Chandler as a hero and respects him. He idolizes him because of his experiences and his way of doing things. Later Adam realizes that Chandler enjoys war. It is all like a big game to him. He wants to fight and he wants to win. Solomon is a tall man with long arms and legs and is as skinny as a starved crow. He isn’t weak he is fairly strong. He has a long face, a hooked nose, a jutting chin, and two pale blue eyes deep sunk into their sockets. He also has a mouth full of broken yellow teeth and snow-white hair. Adam says he is the most freckled and possibly most ugly man he has ever seen. Solomon Chandler is very well depicted throughout the novel. Some of his character traits are shown through the way Adam views him and his experiences at war. His physical traits give a picture of what kind of person he is....

The Lymphatic system essays

The Lymphatic system essays Although blood is thought to be the main medium of transport for material around the cell, there is another fluid that serves the cells and is a vital link between the cells and the blood circulation. About 90% of the fluid that leaks out of the capillaries eventually seeps back in however the remaining 10% is returned to the blood by the lymphatic system and is called lymph. This system is made up of many blind-ending lymph vessels, which allow tissue fluid to flow into them via one-way valves to allow the flow in and not out. These valves are large enough to allow proteins, which are too big to get into the capillaries, into the lymph vessels. The absence of a lymphatic system would allow tissue fluid to accumulate rather than be returned to the blood resulting in serious damage. If the protein concentration and rate of loss from plasma are not in balance with the concentration and rate of loss of tissue fluid; bloating or oedema is the result. Lymph vessels are swollen at intervals to form lymph nodes. These are masses of tissues in which unique function of the lymphatic system takes place. The lymph nodes contain sinuses, each containing many lymphocytes, antibodies and antitoxins, which identify and destroy foreign substances such as bacteria, viruses and poisons. As the lymph passes through a node, it is filtered of toxins and potentially harmful substances. Similar in composition with tissue fluid. It has a different name because it is found in a different place. Lymph vessels are closely associated with the circulatory system vessels. The fluid they contain is called lymph. Larger lymph vessels are similar to veins where valves are present to ensure flow in only one direction. Contraction of skeletal muscle causes movement of the lymph fluid through lymph vessels. ...

Renaissance Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Renaissance Literature - Essay Example Moreover, Renaissance period can be characterized by learning and discoveries of the new world as well as intellectuals. Because of all these happenings, many people argue that Renaissance literature was all about the power struggle at a time of rapid social change. This is true owing to the condition and the political temperature at the time. People wanted a political change hence pushed for reforms as well as inclusion in the leadership. Moreover, the clergy headed by the King of England had much power over the people, and there was a need to trim more powers to other bodies. Because of this, most Renaissance literature are about power struggles between the people and the King. The rest of the paper will discuss the notion that Renaissance literature is concerned with power struggle at a time of social change. During the Renaissance period, there was a "The Great Chain of Being† which was a hierarchy of superiority. It assumed that everything in the world had its place in a divinely hierarchical order. According to Norbook (2002), men had a place in this order making them subordinated by others. People believed that going against the order would bring illness making them fear challenging the notion. Similarly, human beings were also categorized, and there were some who were above the rest just a like a parent is above the child and takes charge. The man was categories between angel and beast hence confining him to one point. Through this, acting against human nature by not allowing reason to rule would place man at the position of the beast. However, the Renaissance writers challenged this notion and wanted to question it after developing discomfort. More (37) challenged the notion that religion had powers above the people by outlining the operations of the city states. According to More, religion plays the role of motivating people and giving them hope as opposed to threatening them. Similarly, the dark ages gave the

Final Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Final Leadership - Essay Example Charisma and value orientation are other necessary skills for the situation and can help to capture employees’ loyalty to the organization and its values. The ability to empower people, against odds, is another necessary leadership skill that the situation requires and would help the organization to retain its employees who would be willing to face the situation and emerge successful. Cobb characteristics of an enterprising person and a team builder correspond to the required skills (Daft, 2008). I would not promote such a person. My decision is based on the meaning and scope of leadership that defines a leader’s influence on people and not a leader who follows what people want. A person who pleases people will similarly not be able to influence changes that the people do not want and would therefore risk an organization’s interest that may conflict with people’s interest in times of crisis (Daft, 2008). A manager who is kind and concerned about employees has high probability of achieving top line and bottom line results simultaneously. This is because the two traits, as are identifiable with charismatic leadership that facilitates loyalty from people, and obedience to set instructions. The manager will therefore achieve such set objectives through the people’s loyalty and obedience to his directives (Daft, 2008). The research program was a team project and not a group project. This is because contrary to a group that works independently to achieve different objectives, a team works dependently to in pursuit of a common objective, and members of the project had a common objective and the departments relied on output from one another. The subgroups were also teams. The entire project was a cross functional team while the subgroups were functional teams (Daft, 2008). The group norms before the retreat identified individualism and superiority complex within each group. Independence that even culminated to communication barrier and inability to

Cultural Event Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 13

Cultural Event Report - Essay Example As announced, the exhibits during that particular day include: Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection; the Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective; Focus: Earth & Fire; Garry Winogrand: Women Are Beautiful; and Blue & White: A Ceramic Journey; among 22 events. There were two building in the premises: the North Building that housed the main museum, which is a seven-storey structure. Likewise, another building, the Frederic C. Hamilton Building house additional collections of the museum. Both architectural structures are forms of art in themselves as they used innovative styles and are uniquely designed. The Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective exhibit started on March 25, 2012 and would run until July 8, 2012. It showcased a remarkable collection of haute couture garments, photographs, drawings, and films that exemplify the evolving years of Saint Laurent as a designer. The way the garments, photographs, and memorabilia were presented was just magnificent and is highly indicative of the quality and excellent image that Saint Laurent has exuded through the years. The collection entitled The Dior Years were simply breath-taking in sublime perfection and beauty. Four haute couture garments were showcased in grey, black, white and red; in styles that embody timelessness. Likewise, in another showcase, The Shock of Colors, was equally awe-inspiring as the narrow room was apparently lined from floor to ceiling in a rainbow of fabric swatches, where the walls are covered with pages reportedly taken from Saint Laurent’s old notebooks. The merging of these swatches with the garments displayed effectively delivered the message to the viewing audience. There were still various designer pieces, such as the ‘Paris Rose’, the long evening dress in black and draped with pink satin ribbon on the bodice which was the centerpiece of the exhibit. All these magnificent displays represent years of artistic designs that are being shared

Procurement management process Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Procurement management process - Assignment Example The paper gives emphasis on the procurement management process and has described the same with regard to REI. The procurement management process is defined as steps, which are required for purchasing or acquiring services or products from any source that is outside the limits of a firm or organization. The sources are external suppliers of the products. The procurement management includes maintaining good relationship with suppliers for ensuring that the organization is receiving high level of services. It assures that purchasers receive those goods, which they have paid for. The success of an organization depends on effectiveness of the procurement process and therefore, managers need to create plans for procuring goods and services, facilitating the reduction of cost and time of delivery. There are many fundamental steps in the process. At the initial stage, the procurement process depends on changes in technology, attitude and personnel. A positive method is needed to be adopted, which stresses on a satisfying relationship with the suppliers. Suppliers are regarded as the most critical component in the procurement process of any company. In case of any dispute with these suppliers, the organization is bound to suffer from unavailability of the required resources, which in turn heavily affects the entire production process. The company has donated millions of dollars for supporting the conservation efforts that they have undertaken worldwide. It sends dedicated teams for volunteering in activities across several places nationwide. The activities include restoring local habitats, cleaning up the beaches as well as building of trials. Therefore, through many business practices, the company has tried to reduce environmental damages that have been created by their actions (Recreational Equipment, Inc, 2014). The company, through its successful operation, has expanded their business

How organizations or manager effectively to use structural and Essay

How organizations or manager effectively to use structural and transactional approaches to prevent or alleviate the stress at work - Essay Example These refer to the psychosocial working conditions in the work place that cause individual stress and negative emotional experience in the workplace. The best explanation of this approach is the Karasek’s Demand-Control Model which explains that when the job demands are high and control over the outcome is low, the individual is highly stressed and especially over the performance outcome. When the demands of the job are low and the control is low as well, the job is passive. This is equally similar to when the demands are low and the control is high as the worker will still experience low strain and hence minimal stress (Barley, Meyerson & Grodal, 2011). In order to prevent this type of stress, it is important to balance the demand even if the control will still be high. This will mean providing a work-life balance which will minimize the demand as well as handle employee relations effectively while still balancing the issue of increased computerization in the workplace which is not only demanding but draining and controlling (Barley, Meyerson & Grodal, 2011). This is the approach which deals purely with the psychological mechanisms and stressors. According to this approach, work stress is caused majorly by psychological issues such as the process of appraisal, decision making and even lack of coping mechanisms in each and every employee. It is the work environment that demands a lot from an individual leading to threatening their psychological well-being and hence hindering performance. In order to alleviate work place stress identified by this approach, it is important to identify which are the psychological stressors in the work place first. Other than those mentioned above of decision making and appraisal, others include the emotional demands of the work which are likely to cause emotional breakdown which is psychological. There is also the workplace violence, harassment, bullying or even discrimination that is directed towards

Procurement management process Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Procurement management process - Assignment Example The paper gives emphasis on the procurement management process and has described the same with regard to REI. The procurement management process is defined as steps, which are required for purchasing or acquiring services or products from any source that is outside the limits of a firm or organization. The sources are external suppliers of the products. The procurement management includes maintaining good relationship with suppliers for ensuring that the organization is receiving high level of services. It assures that purchasers receive those goods, which they have paid for. The success of an organization depends on effectiveness of the procurement process and therefore, managers need to create plans for procuring goods and services, facilitating the reduction of cost and time of delivery. There are many fundamental steps in the process. At the initial stage, the procurement process depends on changes in technology, attitude and personnel. A positive method is needed to be adopted, which stresses on a satisfying relationship with the suppliers. Suppliers are regarded as the most critical component in the procurement process of any company. In case of any dispute with these suppliers, the organization is bound to suffer from unavailability of the required resources, which in turn heavily affects the entire production process. The company has donated millions of dollars for supporting the conservation efforts that they have undertaken worldwide. It sends dedicated teams for volunteering in activities across several places nationwide. The activities include restoring local habitats, cleaning up the beaches as well as building of trials. Therefore, through many business practices, the company has tried to reduce environmental damages that have been created by their actions (Recreational Equipment, Inc, 2014). The company, through its successful operation, has expanded their business

Challenging Current Boundaries & Perceptions of Emergency Care Essay

Challenging Current Boundaries & Perceptions of Emergency Care - Essay Example The researcher of this proofreading analyzes the article, that discusses on the implications that shift work, particularly night work, has on nursing and the well being of individuals as well as patient care. It gives practical advice about how to cope with night shifts and also gives suggestions on the ways of improving health and well being. All of these could be examined and proven as to how it could be implemented in an emergency care setting. However, they do not detail the ways to cope with the turnaround from nights to days, the legal requirements in relation to the above, the health and safety issues associated with shift work and with nurse’s health. In addition, it is stated that patients safety has been poorly explored. They have also failed to investigate the effectiveness of set shift patterns whether they are permanent night staff or set pattern of rotation. While the article title could mislead one to believe that it deals with both night and day shifts, the art icle, however, is centred on night shift work only. Shift work is defined as a period of work performed outside the normal spread of working hours, particularly in a factory or business that operates on a 24 hour basis. Nurses, in general, are expected to work a period of night duty and be able to demonstrate an understanding of patient experiences of health care 24hours a day and seven days a week, but there is contradiction with this, that was analyzed in Challenging Current Boundaries & Perceptions of Emergency Care paper in detail.

Letter from Birmingham Jail Essay Example for Free

Letter from Birmingham Jail Essay Since ancient times, promoters of justice have brought into play rhetorical strategies to persuade their opponents. On April 16, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a letter regarding the criticism several clergymen made, stating that the movements of nonviolent resistance to racism from Dr. King were â€Å"unwise and untimely†. In this letter King uses several rhetorical strategies but mainly he makes use of 3. In the first one, King uses an outside authority (Religion), given the fact that he is trying to persuade Christians. Second, Dr.  King appeals to emotion (Ethos), he tries to appeal to their human and goodness side. Third, King employs analogies to emphasize his argument against racism. With these three rhetorical strategies he tries to persuade the clergymen to take action on the injustice that is upon Birmingham against the Negroes. As stated previously, outside authority was used by Dr. King to appeal the clergymen of the racism taking action. Religion has the power to move such an enormous amount of people and this has been proven since the dawn of time. He know that this man obey the laws of God, knowing this he mentions he came to Birmingham for a good reason by saying Just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco-Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town. (King, 819) With this quote he is making a religious analogy to make the clergymen understand that he is there for a good cause, a cause that is as good as Apostle Paul’s. Later on the letter, King compared his actions with Jesus Christ’s when he was called an extremist. But though I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label. Was not Jesus an extremist for love? (826) This is also a religious analogy, and here he wants to deliver the message of peace by comparing his actions with the ones Jesus did. He wants to make the clergymen understand that the one they follow would have done the same. Subsequently, Dr. King employs the rhetorical strategy called Ethos, which means emotion. He uses this tactics to make the clergymen see that the ones they’re segregating are not less than any other human being; he tries to appeal to their good side. King says â€Å"Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation say waitâ€Å"(821) And he then proceeds to quote his son who says â€Å"Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean? To make a point; make him see what an innocent mind thinks and how it affects him. He then proceeds to say When you take a cross country drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel will accept you; when you are humiliated day in day out by nagging signs reading â€Å"white† and â€Å"colored†; when your first name becomes â€Å"nigger† and your middle name becomes â€Å"boy† and your last name becomes â€Å"John†, and your wife and mother are never given the respected title â€Å"Mrs. Then you’ll understand why we find difficult to longer willing to wait. (King, 821-822) These are one of the most powerful words this letter has to offer, he emphasizes what a negroe has to suffer day by day. King mentions this to make the clergymen see what it feels like to be segregated, to make them see how unjust it is. Throughout the entire essay Dr. King uses analogies to make his argument sound stronger and emphasize it. Not only does he uses religious analogies he uses historical analogies and geographical. He compares the USA with Africa and Asia â€Å"The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jetlike speed toward gaining †¦ independence, but we still creep at horse-and-buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter. † (King, 821) he makes this analogy so they understand that other continents are already far beyond them, that this should have been dealt long ago. Later on he defends himself of the accusations of breaking the law for a good cause. He says â€Å"We should never forget that everything Adolf Hitler did in Germany was legal and everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was illegal. With this analogy he tries to let them know laws are not always correct and thus they have to be changes, and therefore the prohibition of segregation. In conclusion, King uses several rhetorical strategies to convince the clergymen that his actions are not â€Å"unwise and untimely† but the opposite. He gives them reasons to listen to him and convince them. The most important rhetorical strategies where religious appeal, emotion appeal and analogies. With this mix of rhetorical strategies he makes this letter one of the most important piece for the civil right movement.

Pirate Radio Music

Pirate Radio Music Pirate radio station is a station in UK. It is a site delivering pirate radio culture and music which is straight from the heart of London. It is also served through web server and screening real audio. It has played a crucial role in forming the Britains musical test. Today, the waves of the pirate radio station in the cities are so much crowded to the extend that the pirates are been pushed to the suburbs and the country side. It is through these that the people from the rural communities have been in a position to access these services which most of the radio stations have not achieved. Today the members from the rural communities can now have the opportunity to listen on what is happening all over the world through the many programmes which are made by this radio station. As a result most of the people have named it a nerve center and its headquarter is of Essex top pirate radio station. What was crucial for the growth of the pirate radio station was the incorporation of the new technology in the performance of its many activities. This radio station has used the new technology and these are some of the factors on how this new technology has made the pirate radio to prosper. You find that the transistors were now abit hugly smaller and also for the first time, these transistors were transportable. It was doe to the new technology that there was a drop in the hardware price. It was due to the drop of the hardware price that most of the activities could be done effectively hence leading the company to realize its competitive advantage. You find that for a company to grow, first it needs to maintain its costs since when costs are more than the profits, then definitely the company will lead to losses. But here we see that the hardware could be sold at a cheap price hence meaning that its costs were less than the profits leading to the realization of the competitive advantage. The introduction of the clearer and the cheaper FM brand is also another way by which the pirate radio has benefited from the new technology. Once the microwave technology came in to play, it means that this transmitter was in a different location which was different from where the pirates broadcasted from and this is a cheap hardware which can be easily got and replaced when stolen. (Jo Tacchi, 2001). If you tune around that FM band in London, you will find a large number of pirate radio stations. These stations are highly recognizable since they have differentiated themselves from the other stations so that then can realize their competitive advantage. One of their distinctive features is there distinctive sounds. You find that at the pirate radio station, they usually play different sounds which are so different from the other stations. Often you find them playing certain musical styles such as House, UK garage, Drum n Bass, reggae, Grime plus other numerous old skools genres. All these are personal but try to catch so many people hence you find that most of the people usually try to tune in to the pirate radio station so that they can listen at the music playing which is so much attractive. Most of these musics which are played are usually aimed at certain societies and communities so that the can be in a position to learn from them. It is in this music that most of the communities can have the chance to listen songs from their own languages. Many people tend to enjoy these types of songs since most of them are usually more of traditional and telling them about there own culture hence many people can not avoid listening to them. (Jo Tacchi, 2001). Impacts of the pirate radio station in the United Kingdom Pirate radio has done a great deal for the house music and this is done by feeding the public with all the latest underground music despite the fact that it has not been in a position to get the credit it really deserves. You find that this is one of the most entertainment stations in the United Kingdom in the sense that it has been in a position to keep most of the people here fully involved in most of their free times. Music industry is one of the growing sectors not only in the United Kingdom but also in other countries. It is through music that people have been in a position to utilize most of their free times hence leading to less criminals in the society. So you tend to find that its through the pirate radio station that most of the people can spent most of their free times listening to music, news and other records which are produced by the radio station. You find that most of the music usually carries important messages and most of the people can learn from this particular mu sic. Most of the people can change their behaviors through listening to these musics and pirate is a good example since most of the people in united kingdom usually like listening to radio pirate simply because it is well organized. It has a good schedule of doing its activities hence you find that most of the people like listening to its since its so much convenient. They have a variety of programs and these programs always have their set time hence people can be in a position to fix themselves on the p[particular program they really want to listen. It is also not biased like other radio stations. So you find that there is a lot of fun in radio pirate since its not biased at all and it has good music and entertainment which is liked by so many people. People are then in a position to benefit from pirate radio through its many programs, music, entertainment and also news. The whole of the house in the music industry also benefits from the pirate radio since in pirate radio, they pum p out all the current tunes along with all the music favorites and this can be seen as helping keep the scene more alive and also helps by selling huge amounts of new records and also by increasing the total number of DJs in this industry. (Colin, 1996). Promoters benefited through advertisements Many companies and organization have been in a position to benefit from the station since you find that most of the new events or even new products and services which have been produced in the market can be advertised through the radio station hence making the potential customers to be in a position to access them. One a company has produced a new product; the only way it can get this product to the potential customers is through advertisements. The radio advertisements are usually so cheap and available to everyone that why most of the people have preferred this radio station in advertising this product. As a result many people will be in a position to get to know the new product which has been introduced in the market. You find that most of the new events by these promoters are advertised through the pirate radio hence leading to the growth of the economy. The pirate radio station will also benefit in that it has received so many clients who wish to advertise their many products in that particular station hence they have been in a position to record huge profits. Many people also benefit from the pirate radio station in that it tends to help the less fortunate in the society. Not everyone in the many societies we come from has been blessed with wealth. There are a few elements who are termed as poor simply because they can not help them and a good example is the disabled, orphans and the elderly in the United Kingdom. The pirate radio station has taken the initiative to help most of these people out of the many profits which they record. So its through this that even the less fortunate in the society have been in a position to have improved standards of living. (Colin, 1996). Record sales The pirate radio has had a big impact on the record sales. There is a symbiotic relationship between the pirate radio and the record sales industries. You find that the radio pirate has grown hand in hand with the recording industry in that most of these recorded usually use the radio to advertise their new songs among other things. As a result, you find that these people have been in a position to increase their sales in that they usually advertise them through the radio. They too charge few charges as when compared to other radio stations hence meaning that it has been giving good services and that is why most of the people in the United Kingdom use this particular radio. It is also not biased. Many of the Djs in UK have been in a position to excel in this industry through the radio pirate. You find that most of the DJs have been in a position to play their mixes over air. Most of these DJs market themselves through these stations since many funs in UK usually listen the pirate rad io. So when they are marketed, then they are in a position to sell more records hence increasing their living standards. Most of the Djs have become millionaires through this industry and this is out of the many record sales they get. They have been in a position to have increased standards of living which is the basic goals for most of these musicians. Due to the large number of people who usually listen at this particular radio station, it has been in a position to benefit a lot from it. (Sian, 1996). Job creation This particular radio station is one of the employment industries in most of the people in UK. Here you find that most of the young and the youth have been in a position to secure good jobs from this particular radio. It employs so many people so that they can be in a position to meet the growing demand of people. This is because most of the people like the business men, musicians, and government activities have relied so much on the radio pirate when advertising its many activities or even the new products which are produced in the market. It is as a result of this growing demand that many people have been in a position to get jobs through this industry. At the end of the day you find that the economy has been in a position to grow so much since unemployment is one of the leading factors to poverty in a country. You find that when there is a large number of people who are not employed, then it will mean that most of the countries resources will be used to help these people not worki ng. This is because the employed get the unemployed benefits so when they have a job, it will mean that the government will use these resources on other sectors which can be beneficial to all people and a good example is the education sector. So with this, the pirate radio has played a big role in occupying these people in the many roles which are available in this sector. This is because the radio station has so many departments and it is in these departments that many people have been in a position to secure good jobs. So you find that the society too benefits from this a lot. (Paddy, 1996). Increased economic growth Its through the pirate radio that the economy has been in a position to grow. This is because the music industry is one of the growing sectors not only in UK but also in other countries. So you find that due to the many profits which are got by the pirate radio station, the government has been in a position to get high revenues from highly taxing them. This is out of the many profits which they get. So you find that its through taxing these radio station that the government has been in a position to increase its economic growth. The money which is collected as tax can then be used in other important sectors like in the provision of free health services to the needy people in the society. Also it is out of the many profits which it gets that the members of the public have been in a position to benefit from the same through the selling of many shares. Since this particular sector accrues so many benefits, the members of the public have been in a position to benefit from the advantages of this company. This is through buying of the companies shares which are usually sold. Its through buying these shares that they have been in a position to have increased standards of living since this is a form of investment in that its through buying these shares that they sell them when there prices are high hence leading to huge profits from them. So you find that the members of the public have been in a position to benefit from the resources of the pirate radio and the many profits which are got by it. (Colin, 1996). Community development The pirate radio has benefited the communities so much through the various programmes which people listen from them. They usually introduce a number of programmes that are already having a number of impacts to the members of these societies. One of the programmes in this case in the community focus groups. This is one of the programmes which basically focus on the community activities hence its through listening these programmes that the community has been in a position to develop. The farmers plus other interest groups are usually asked by the radio station to identify key issues which they need to be aired to other people. A good example is the farmers in that they usually have a programme which is supposed to encourage farmers so that they can have increased production. Some of the successful farmers are usually brought in to the studio whereby they usually tell people how they have succeed through farming and the best tools and strategies which farmers can apply so that they can be in a position to succeed in farming. Its through these that most of the farmers in the communities can take time and try to learn from this particular radio station. Also some of the government officials are also invited to respond to the concerns which were raised by the various groups. So you find that when an issue has been brought by the particular interest group like the case with the farmers, then a government official who is specifically concerned with that sector is invited in the studio and tries to answer the many questions are asked by the interest groups. So this is one of the ways in which the pirate radio has brought the members of the community in to close contact with the government and they can air their grievances to them whenever there are matters which need to be discussed. As a result, the community has been in a position to benefit in that they can get the correct advice and the basics which they require from the government hence leading to community develop ment in return. (Kevin, 1998). Despite the advantages the pirate radio station has had, it also has some disadvantages to the people who normally watch at these stations. You find that most of the programs which are watched by people especially the young people could have some negative impacts on them. For example they have certain songs which can mislead most of the young people. So you will find that most of the young children usually spent most of their times listening to radio and this can have an impact on their performance in education. So when it comes to the young children in the society, the children will learn both the good and the bad languages which are in the music most of the musicians usually sing. At the end of the day you will find that the community will have so many deviants hence leading to immoral society. Another disadvantage is that is sometimes biased in that it tends to favour that government. So during times like during elections, the government will tend to use this particular media so that it can get most of the people in the society. These people are usually paid so that they can side with the government hence meaning that the members of the public will be misused through this particular radio station and tends to manipulate people to be on the side of the government. (Kevin, 1998). Conclusion Radio stations usually have a great impact to the members of the public. This is out of the many roles in which these radio stations have. Most of the radio stations usually have differentiated ways in which they present their activities and this is important in any organization since its one of the main ways by which an organization can realize its set goals and objectives. People would like listening to radio stations that have a diversified range of activities and programmes which would benefit people and the society at large. For instance they play the role of educating most people in the societies. For example the pirate radio station has taken the initiative of a good leader and hence does this through enlightening people on the society. It is through this initiative that the members of the public will tend to benefit through the many programmes which are facilitated. So the radio stations are very much crucial in ones life and one can imagine a world without a radio station. I t can as a result of the new technology and its one of the cheapest technology which most people can afford as when compared to other Medias like the television, the internet among others. As a result its through it that many people have been in a position to benefit through the education and the type of entertainment they get from them. So pirate radio station has made a difference in many people lives since they are not the same again. They have improved their living standards through listening the many programs which are found in this radio station. Reference Jo Tacchi, J. (2001): ‘Who listens to Radio? The role of Industrial audience research. No News is Bad News: Radio, Television and the Press .London: Longman, pp.137-156) Colin, S. (1996): The British press and broadcasting since 1945. 2nd edition. Blackwell. Martin, S. Cindy W, (2002); On Air: Methods and Meanings of Radio .Arnold, 2002. Sian, N. (1996): The Echo of War: Home Front Propaganda and the Wartime BBC 1939-45. Manchester University Press, 1996. Sian, N. (2002): ‘All the News thats fit to Broadcast: the popular press versus the BBC, 1922-1945, in P.Cattterall, C.Seymour Ure and A. Smith, eds, Northcliffes Legacy: Aspects of the British Popular Press, 1896-1996, (Macmillan, 2000), pp.121-148 Paddy, S. (1996): Radio, television and modern life: a phenomenological approaches Blackwell, 1996. Paddy, S. David, C. (1991): A Social History of British Broadcasting. Volume One 1922-1939. Serving the Nation. Blackwell. Colin, S. (1996): The London press and broadcasting. Manchester University Press, 1996. Michael, T. (1998): The Decline and fall of Public Service Broadcasting. OUP, 1998. Kevin, W. (1998): Get me a murder a day! A history of mass communications in Britain Arnold, 1998.

George Lopez Essay -- Media Television TV

The television show, George Lopez, is a series in which Latinos make up the entire cast of the family. It takes place in the present day Los Angeles and focuses on a family and their daily lifestyle. This is one of two television shows that are directed to the English speaking population that has the Latino minority as the main ethnicity of the cast. Only 4% of Hispanics make up the cast of prime-time television shows, a miniscule amount considering that Hispanic-Americans are the largest minority group in the US. The ways in which minorities are portrayed in the show have their good aspects as well as bad aspects. This is to be expected since showing all good points or all the bad points isn't a fair perspective of the Latino population. As a show that points out a minority, its necessary to look as the good as well as the bad to find if it is actually a optimistic view of the race or a pessimistic one. The positives shown in The George Lopez Show are demonstrated by the members of the family in many different ways. The main character George, was promoted to plant manager of an L.A. airplane parts factory in the beginning of the series. He also receives an award for excellence in business management later on in the series. These represent the success of a Latino man. In one episode, when George finds out that one of his son's friends is having a rough home life, he makes arrangement for someone to take him in and take care of him until his home is safe enough for him to reside in. This show's how human and how caring he towards others as well as his family. When his son, Max, needs help with his baseball skills in another episode, George shows that he is a devoted father and works tirelessly on improving his son's skills. ... ... Show† properly portraying Hispanic Americans in this country? Or is it just hopeful thinking on the part of Mr. Lopez on what he hopes will change (Porter, 2002)? It is true that â€Å"The George Lopez Show† does not stoop to the usual levels of stereotyping Hispanics as lazy or gang members (Morales, 2002). For the most part the show does a good job in portraying Hispanics in a non stereotypical way, however, the way that certain characters on the show talk, such as the mother and the brother, are very much the stereotypical Mexican dialect. Also, Lopez’s children are extremely lazy, which is stereotypical of the Hispanic culture, although its also very abundant in teenage culture too (Morales, 2002). The â€Å"George Lopez Show† has been very successful up until now in starting to remove the typical Mexican stereotypes in America, but it still has a long way to go.

Similarities Between Hurston’s Novels, Seraph on the Suwanee and Their Eyes Were Watching God :: Compare Comparison Essays

Similarities Between Hurston’s Novels, Seraph on the Suwanee and Their Eyes Were Watching God Seraph – page 153 So, calling soothingly to Earl, Jim started from the south border of the sink hole and began to pick along to where Earl stood braced between two great cypress trees. Earl’s face was cold and unrecognizing. Jim caught hold to vines and shrubs to keep from slipping off the precarious footing into the water, and said nice things to Earl and kept going. He was a good half way along the dangerous route when Earl stepped forth and leveled the rifle and took aim. Eyes – page 184 He steadied himself against the jam of the door and Janie thought to run into him and grab his arm, but she saw the quick motion of taking aim and heard the click. Saw the ferocious look in his eyes and went mad with fear as she had done in the water that time. She threw up the barrel of the rifle in frenzied hope and fear. Hope that he’d see it and run, desperate fear for her life. But if Tea Cake could have counted costs he would not have been there with the pistol in his hands. No knowledge of fear nor rifles nor anything else was there. He paid no more attention to the pointing gun than if it were Janie’s dog finger. She saw him stiffen himself all over as he leveled and took aim. The fiend in him must kill and Janie was the only thing living he saw. Ms. Hurston’s two books Seraph on the Suwanee and Their Eyes Were Watching God are remarkably similar in many aspects, and I believe that these two passages exemplify that likeness. These two scenes take place just before a person is shot, Tea Cake in Eyes, and earl in Seraph. Janie kills (shoots) Tea Cake because he contracted rabies during the hurricane by a dog, and Earl was killed (shot) by several of the townsmen because he tried to rape Lucy Ann. Both Tea Cake and Earl were rendered mad and lost all humanity due to their circumstances. Both men needed help long before someone realized they could possibly be a danger to themselves or others. Both men were killed for attacking a woman, even though they clearly could not control themselves. Jim and Janie both try to help, but ultimately fail.

Marketing a & W

Executive Summary A&W Restaurants, Inc. is a chain of fast-food restaurants that specialize in root beer and root beer floats. It is the first fast food restaurant in Singapore and expansion was fast in the early nineties, but in 2003, A&W’s Singapore operations came to an end. Many Singaporeans grew up eating A&W, and that is one reason why many people are protesting for it to make a comeback in Singapore. Hence, our campaign will draw an emotional appeal, focusing on the theme, â€Å"Bringing back the good old memories†.Based on this central theme, this report covers the Public Relations, Sales Promotions, Personal Selling, Direct Marketing and Budget proposed for the nature of our campaign. A survey was conducted and given out to 80 random applicants to find out more about what they think of the organisation. Online research was also done to examine some of the risks or problems faced in the marketplace, its potential, competition, unique selling advantages and A&Wâ €™s current positioning. Lastly, we have come up with creative strategies to enhance the advertising campaign. Bringing back the good old times† focuses on the old days so we will mainly be using traditional media to stay consistent to our theme. As many youngsters these days use social media to connect, we will also be using a few online methods to stay connected to the new generation. Lastly, putting into consideration the aspects of our personal selling, sales promotion, direct marketing and advertising costs, the proposed costing for the total campaign will be approximately $137,707. IMC Objectives * AdvertisingTo bring back A&W to Singapore by creating brand awareness through focussing on our central theme, â€Å"Bringing back the good old days† and to create the likeability of amongst 80% of our target audience. * Public Relations To create interest and maintain positive image for A&W by drawing as much publicity as possible, and gain huge exposure to reach ou t to our target audience with 30% additional publicity. * Sales promotion Uses price, coupons to help drive and increase attendance by 30% and to also encourage brand switching.Increase consumption and A&W’s sales by at least 3% and to add at least 5% to overall market share by 2015. Agency Introduction Based in Singapore, APG Advertising Pte Ltd was established in 1996 providing a comprehensive range of services. We take the task of understanding the business and propose attractive promotions or campaigns, tailored to your specific industry and budget. We also help clients and our teams put more creativity into campaign planning and capable of handling a variety of advertising for business of different natures.Our teams of professionals, armed with expert knowledge of current trends in the market, embark on providing refreshing marketing ideas to kick start your businesses. We service to not only the local market, but also have our global networks, particularly to Asia, such as Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand. APG Advertising Agency possesses skilled employees who have combined experience of over 25 years servicing to the local and international industry. We are a fully accredited service agency.We have run print ads, bus advertisements, MRT advertisements, radio/television commercials, point of sales ads, marketing brochures, brand building and have even created websites. Some of the big firms who have used our services include Bank of China, Maybank, Hyflux, Serta, etc. Accreditations from well-known Institutions * Association of Accredited Advertising Agents, Singapore (4As) * Institute of Advertising, Singapore (IAS) * Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) * MediaCorp Singapore Group (MCS) Various Campaigns (Pls refer to Appendix) * Aberdeen * Realstar * Singapore International (Motor Show) * Natas TravelBackground Research Client’s Background A&W Restaurants, Inc. was established in 1919 in Lodi, California, United States. It is a chain of fast-food restaurants that specialize in root beer and root beer floats. The name A&W came about from the surname of the initials Roy W. Allen and Frank Wright. Hence, started the company’s humble beginnings, as A&W. The first fast food restaurant in Singapore was not McDonald’s or KFC, it was A&W. The chain’s expansion was fast in the early nineties, but in the late nineties, the branch at Singapore Zoo closed down, leaving Singapore with seven outlets remaining in 2002.A year later, A&W’s Singapore operations came to an end after shutting down their last outlet at Hougang Heartland Mall. Being the first fast food restaurant in Singapore, A&W left a huge impact on many Singaporeans as they grew up eating A&W. Long before MacDonald, KFC and Burger King came into the picture, it was the most favourite among the teens. It was seen to be â€Å"cool† hanging out in A&W restaurant. Whether it was an easy takeaway (A&W drive through), i ndulging in fast food, or giving a good treat to pamper oneself, A&W was always there. Hence, many Singaporeans yearn for A&W to make a comeback.On Facebook, there are many pages created by fans, called â€Å"Like to bring back A&W in Singapore†, â€Å"Bring back A&W restaurant in Singapore† and many other pages that support A&W into coming back to Singapore. The pages have over 18,000 likes and every now and then, fans would post comments on the wall asking when they are making a comeback or why have they left. Whenever Singaporeans visit Malaysia or Batam, the first thing they think of is to visit the nearest A&W restaurant as well. This shows evidence that A&W has left a huge impression despite drowning due to intense competition.Demand is undoubtedly high and the memories A&W created for its customers is so strong that people are protesting for it to come back until today. Situation Analysis Problems/Risks faced in the Marketplace a) Problems * Viewed as â€Å"Unh ealthy Junk Food† Being a fast food restaurant chain, A&W is perceived as unhealthy and customers may see it as â€Å"just another fast food restaurant†. Because their menu contains fatty food such as Burger, Chicken, Hot Dogs, French Fries, Nuggets, Ice Cream, Milkshakes etc, it may turn customers off as they do not provide a variety of healthy alternative options.Being a family oriented restaurant, it is important that A&W first convince adults or parents to choose their dining experience to be at A&W because they are the ones that have the buying power to bring their children to the restaurant. Hence, if adults or parents are convinced that the food offered by A&W is generally unhealthy or simply seen as â€Å"junk food†, they will not consider bringing their family to dine there regularly, unless for rare treats. * Considered relatively small compared to competitors In 2003, A&W was acquired by YUM! Brands.Currently for A&W, there are over 1,200 restaurants i ncluding 350 international stores in 16 countries and territories. Comparing this figure to other YUM! ’s flagship stores, KFC has about 17,000 restaurants worldwide. McDonald’s has over 34,000 stores worldwide, while Subway has 35,000 locations around the world. With contrast to the other competitors, A&W is relatively small. b) Risks * Of being shut down due to fierce competitions In 1966, A&W launched their first business at Dunearn Road, near the former University of Singapore’s Bukit Timah Campus.The chain was expanding fast, but due to fierce competitions from other fast food competitors, it eventually closed down in 2003. Thus, it is a risk to bring back A&W to Singapore as it has been shut down previously due to intense competition. * Of having inability to handle high cost due to small size Given A&W’s size, there is a risk of the company not being able to handle the high cost as compared to competitors. Because they are relatively small in compa rison to other fast food chain outlets, food inventory, logistics, transportation and other cost may come in as an issue while for ompetitors it is not an issue as they already have many outlets spread in Singapore. Potential The first A&W store opened in Singapore in 1966. Back then, people were more conservative and health conscious which led to one of the reasons why A&W closed down in Singapore in the early 2000s. However, times have changed. Singaporeans these days are much affluent than they used to be. The younger generation is more career-oriented and this leads to more people eating out as they often work overtime. In the current fast-paced society, demand for more  convenient meals is also increasing.Although awareness of the importance of proper diet increased, fast-food, snacks and soft-drink  consumption is also still on the rise. Wendy’s was first in Singapore during the 1980s. Not long before their opening, Wendy’s faced the same issue as A&W due to intense competition and as a result, collapsed and shut down their outlet which was operating at Far East Plaza and Parkway Parade. However, in 2009, the US fast chain reopened in Singapore at Lau Pa Sat in the Central Business District. Since then, they have grown and just recently opened their 11th restaurant at Jurong East MRT Station.Therefore, despite failing in the earlier years, they manage to make a successful comeback and A&W should perhaps make a comeback too. Wendy’s comeback shows evidence that there is potential in the rise of fast food chain outlets. Competition AW operates in the product category of fast food sandwich chains, which is highly competitive and developed. Today,  the three giants in the local fast-food business are McDonald's,  Kentucky Fried Chicken and Burger King, with McDonald's leading the pack. A&W simply cannot compete with the thousands of stores their rivals have world-wide.Although AW does not have the number of units or financial res ources that some of its competitors have now, they do have good brand recognition since they bring about childhood memories to Singaporeans. (i) MacDonald The number of people who thronged  MacDonald’s first outlet opening was so large;  a world record was set for serving the world's highest volume of hamburgers in a single day. Today, McDonald has over 120 restaurants across the island serve 1. 2 million customers every week. Around 9,000 employees keep the McDonald's restaurants running ship-shape.The popular chain is well-known for its Big Macs, Quarter Pounders, and Chicken McNuggets. Most of the outlets are free-standing units offering dine-in and drive-through service. Today one can  find a McDonald's restaurant  in almost every corner of the island and over 40 operating as 24hours stores. About 80% of the restaurants are run by franchisees or affiliates. (ii) Burger King BURGER KING commenced operations in Singapore since 1982 through the opening of its first r estaurant at Peninsula Plaza. Over the years, Burger King Singapore Pte. Ltd. perates more than 40 restaurants in Singapore where customers across the island city can enjoy the great and healthy flame-grilled taste of their products. Providing customers with a great dining experience in the areas of convenience, excellent service and friendly surroundings is and also for the wide and unique menu options is what Burger King achieved. In addition to its popular Whopper sandwich, the chain offers a selection of burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, and breakfast items, along with beverages, desserts, and sides. (iii) KFCKFC is the leader in the chicken segment in the Singapore Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry. There are over 15,000  KFC  outlets in 105 countries and territories around the world. Upon entering every KFC outlets, one will be captivated by the chicken’s aroma. At KFC, they offer high quality and great tasting food in a popular array of complete meals such as Daily Savers Meals, Snackers and Family Feast that enable the whole family to share a fun and satisfying experience with all the affordability and convenience of a fast food restaurant.The popular chain is well known for its fried chicken and its various incarnations – chicken burgers, drumlets, nuggets, ‘popcorn' chicken. The chicken comes in various flavours – original, spicy, crispy. Unique Selling Advantages * World’s No. 1 Root Beer A;W Root Beer is the world's number one selling root beer float and is still mixed fresh daily and sold at hundreds of A&W restaurants. Customers dine at A&W to enjoy their signature products like root beers floats, deep fried cheese curds  and waffles. Long Heritage When people talk about A&W in Singapore, they think of the past and memories because it is the first fast food restaurant in Singapore. Hence, the history behind A&W is a unique selling point as people will always remember A&W as they grew up eating it. Till now, they are still making memories and All American Food. Having a strong history over the brand A&W, is what other competitors can’t achieved. Current Positioning Over the years, A&W has position themselves as a childhood fast food brand.Some positioning strategy that A&W has adopted will be emotional, functional and promotional. The emotional positioning strongly taps into boomers’ memories of their youth at A&W, with the objective of creating smiles and reminisce. The functional positioning focuses on the simple indulgence of a great burger just like it was in 1956. The promotional positioning reflects great value for a premium product. A&W focus their efforts on baby boomers— a market virtually ignored by the other fast-food chains.This group, born between 1946 and 1964, grew up with A&W drive-ins. The brand truly represents their youth and the simple joys that came along with it. We want to bring back memories of these boomers having countless â€Å" firsts† at A&W growing up: their first trip to a fast-food restaurant, â€Å"graduating† to their first Teen Burger, going out on their first date, driving their first car— these were all very important and rich memories. It was clear that A&W is one of the few brands that have the right to align themselves with these milestones in boomers’ lives.We feel that the current positioning is strong and we believe it would work out for our objectives of our campaign. This insight became the basis for an important element of our campaign. IMC Strategies Overall Theme/Big Idea To bring back the fast food chain that Singaporeans grew up loving, focussing on our central theme, â€Å"Bringing back the good old days†. * Creative Direction The advertising appeal that we would use to attract the attention of consumers will be through emotional appeal because emotional appeal will be easier for us to relate our BIG IDEA and campaign to our target group.The way our big idea will be conveyed to consumers will be through slice of life execution as it is able to portray a real life situation that consumers may face daily. As our big idea is to bring back the good old times to consumer who patronize A&W on their re-opening, our advertising video will be about a man who had a hard time at work as his job pile stacks higher and higher but when he walk into A&W and drink their signature root beer float, flash back of the good times he had appeared in his brain making his frown and stressful face to turn into a wide smile, enjoying the moment.Public Relations * Publicity Vehicles Vehicle wraps is one of the most cost efficient advertising tools. Because we believe they have the ability to generate more advertising impressions than any other advertising medium available, we will be hiring three trucks to drive around high traffic areas such as Orchard Road to showcase that A&W is coming back to Singapore. We will feature our theme, â€Å"Bringing back the good old memories near you† to bring awareness to consumers that A&W is returning. Inside the truck, it will contain mini cans of A&W that we will be selling to the public.For every can purchased at $1, customers will get a free A&W balloon to show support for wanting to bring A&W back to Singapore. * Community Activities With the proceeds earned from the mini canned drinks, we will be donating 50% of the proceeds to poor families with low income. Since A&W is a family restaurant, we want to show the importance of family. Thus, A&W will donate proceeds of the earnings to people who deserve it to show our welfare and concern, and to show the community that A&W cares about the society. Sales PromotionThere are various sales promotional tools that A&W can make use of to introduce their come-back in Singapore and so to stimulate trial, repeat or larger purchases. To suit our â€Å"old school† theme campaign, we have decided to make use of 4 different sales promotional tools and they are namely coupons, contests/sweepstakes, price-off deal and frequency programs. Coupons will be distributed using social media website such as Facebook and twitter. A picture of the coupon will be posted on the official Facebook page of A&W and this coupon can be printed and will entitle them to 2 different benefits.On the day of the opening, consumers will be able to enjoy 10% off their total bill instantly upon flashing the coupon and after doing so, a bounce back coupons printed in black and white using old school design will also be given to these consumers in order to encourage repeat purchase. The reason of combining this 2 different method is because of our â€Å"old school† theme. Since our theme focuses on bringing back childhood memories of the consumers, it would be more appropriate if we can make use of traditional marketing method.However, we will be using a small part of social media as it has become increasingly popular among teenagers these day s that make it a much easier and cost-efficient way to reach out to our consumers. However, this promotion will only be valid for a month to introduce the comeback of A&W. Our price-off deals includes set meals which will be available at all times. Since our target audiences are families and our marketing idea is to bring back childhood memories, family set meals is definitely a must-have in our menu.A frequency program will also be combined together with a contest to encourage consumers to try out all the different product that is available on the menu. A frequency card will be issued on your first alacarte purchase and 10 different stamps would need to be collected in order to enjoy the benefit and so to participate in the contest. These 10 collectible stamps represent the different alacarte items; a stamp will be rewarded for each alacarte items being purchased. Collect all 10 different stamps and it will entitle customers to redeem a free â€Å"set meal of the week†.Upon redemption, personal data will need to be filled in at the back of the card to redeem their prizes. This can also be reference for our customer database. Personal Selling For our campaign, we will be having staffs going around the event areas to serve and answer any enquiries by our audience. For example, our staffs will explain to them the main objectives of this campaign and the main reason in bringing back A&W. These will actually nature relationships with customers by understanding their needs and demands. Not only that, we can solve their doubts and recommend ways to satisfy them.Also, our mascots will be going around interacting and bonding with the customers. Customers can take pictures with our mascots or even talk to it. After our campaign, more customers would be informed and will patronize our stores. This will actually brings popularity and publicity for A&W. Direct Marketing & Online Communication Flyers will be distributed to the public around neighbourhood and town ar eas. This will help increase the awareness of consumers that are shopping or staying nearby, giving them a heads-up of what’s going on around them.To ensure that these Flyers will not be treated as junk mail, a free ice-cream coupon will be attached to it. However, consumers can only redeem the free ice cream upon purchasing a set meal. Though our main focus is to publicize re-launching of A&W using outdoor, however there is also a need to use new media to reach out to the younger group of consumers who have not heard of A&W before. We will plan to reach out to them through the means of social media platforms such as facebook and twitter.We will post pictures about during A&W store renovation and what are the varieties of food that A&W will be offering to keep them updated and excited to A&W’s countdown. We will also set up a local A&W website so that the younger generations can find out more about us through this means of platform. Media Strategy & Media Mix (a) Adver tising Campaign With the results that we have obtained through our surveys, we have decided to come out with an advertising campaign for A&W with the objective of letting A&W bring back childhood memories and happiness back to our target audience.Our campaign tag line will be â€Å"A&W, bringing back the good old times. † This advertising campaign is to promote brand recall to our target audience that A&W is back to serve them their favourite Signature Root Beer Float, Curly Fries and their other specialties. We have decided to use local advertising as our aim is to bring A&W back to Singapore. Since our campaign objective and big idea is to bring back old memories, we will be using traditional media such as outdoor posters of media class and media vehicle as well to advertise on A&W will be coming back to Singapore.Media class is a broad category of media such as broadcast, print, outdoor, interactive and etc. Out of all these, we will be choosing outdoor prints advertisemen ts as many people are expecting to see A&W advertisements at outdoor places. Media vehicles will be at bus stops, train stations and even on buses. Thus, for bus stops, we will be having a simple advert of A&W's logo and campaign theme with a digital countdown system at the bottom of the poster, stating how many more days to A;W's re-opening.For train stations, we have decided to have our advert to be paste at Toa Payoh station as it is a district located in the central region of Singapore with many housing estates and facilities around them. Hence, it would be great for us to put our advertisements there as it is not that expensive compared to placing it at orchard and Toa Payoh is more of a family oriented place. So, it would be a win-win situation for us as not only could we save money but we would be able to reach out to our target audience which is families as well.Lastly, for buses, we have decided to check a few buses to have A&W's advertisement on them while inside of the bu s will have mini advertisement posters hanging on the poles where anybody who takes it will be given a 20% off when purchasing from A;W when they re-open in Singapore. Another media class that we will be choosing is television channels. As for the media vehicles will be television channels such as Channel 8 and Channel 5. The reason why we have chose these 2 channels is because people are expecting to see our advertisements on TV and Channel 5 ; 8 audience are mostly families.Hence, it matches with our target audience. Continuity scheduling technique will be used to re-reach to our target audience so that we can arouse more attention from the public. The television advertisement that we will be coming out with will be more family oriented, focusing on our theme of bringing back the good old times. There will be approximately 4 parts of the scene which depicts how A;W will bring back the good old times to consumers from the new technology world. It will also show howA;W will release their stressful life after visiting A;W where flashback of good old memories made their day a better one. Every week one scene will be played and at the end of the 4 weeks, it will be also the day where A;W re-open in Singapore. Though there are downsides of selecting these media tools such as high production cost and short exposure time but we are confident that with the correct location for our posters to be placed up at and with interesting television advertisement, we will be able to gain the response that we are targeting to achieve. b) Marketing Mix Strategies Product: People remember A;W for their unique root beer float over the years till now. Today, it has franchise locations throughout much of the world, serving a typical fast food menu of hamburgers and French fries, as well as hot dogs. One would be able to enjoy the unique and quality food served in A;W outlets at the same time creating/recalling memories of the past times at A;W. Not only that, A;W packaging colors of brown, white, orange and yellow also left an impactful impressions to their customers.Place: The place of our campaign will be all around Singapore but putting more focus at Toa Payoh as we are planning to re-open the A;W outlet there. The reason why we choose Toa Payoh is due to the high traffic flow of families around that area. They have many facilities like Safra, Swimming Complex, library, movie theatre and neighbourhood schools which would attract many school kids and families who visit Toa Payoh for their variety of facilities over there. Hence the selection of the location where our main campaign location will be along with the big poster of A;W reopening paste on the train station of Toa Payoh.Price: The price of A;W standard food combos will be approximately from $5 to $8. Prices are stated based on analysis of other competitors price and cost of product. Besides standard food combos which includes main course and their signature root beer float, A;W will also sell ala car t items such as their curly fries, burgers and others. Regular curly fries will be set at $2 will large curly fries will be $3. For their regular signature root beer float will be $2. 95 while large signature root beer float will be $3. 5 and jumbo signature root beer float for two will be charged at $4. 95. Promotion: During the campaign period, customers who visit A;W with the mini advertisement that they took from the busses will be entitled to a 20% discount on standard food combos purchased or a total bill of $5 and above. This promotion will last one month from the day of reopening of A;W at Toa Payoh. The promotion is created to attract the crowd back to A;W and also attention of the public. Campaign Budget | Description| Quantity| Duration| Pay rate| Total| Public Relations| | 1. | Trucks| 3| 3 hrs| $150/day| $450| 2. | Drivers (3hrs/day)| 3| 3 hrs| $15/hr| $135| 3. | Workers| 6| 3 hrs| $6/hr| $108| 4. | Donations| | | | $150| | Sales Promotion| | 5. | Printing of Coupons| 5 0,000| | | $1000| 6. | Coupon Value(Digital Coupon)| 50,000| | | $25,000| 7. | Production of Frequency Card| 50,000| | | $3000| | Direct Marketing| | 8. | Production of Flyers| 100,000| | | $2500| 9. | Flyer Distributor| 5 | 10 hours| $6/hr| $300| 10. | Mascot| 1| 8 hours| $8/hr| $64| | Advertising| | 1. | Poster Space: Toa Payoh MRT Station | 1| 2. 5 weeks| | $15,000| 12. | Poster Space: All Toa Payoh Bus Stops| | 2. 5 weeks| | $10,000| 13. | Advertising: Comfort Delgro| | 2. 5 weeks| | $8,000| 14. | Print Productions for posters etc. | | | | $30,000| 15. | TV commercial (15seconds)AirTime on Channel 8| 3 slots/day| 2 weeks| $500/time slot $1500/day| $21,000| 16. | TV commercial (15seconds)AirTime on Channel 5| 3 slots/day| 2 weeks| $500/time slot $1500/day| $21,000| | Total| $137,707| Round-Up Budget| $150,000| Marketing a & W Executive Summary A&W Restaurants, Inc. is a chain of fast-food restaurants that specialize in root beer and root beer floats. It is the first fast food restaurant in Singapore and expansion was fast in the early nineties, but in 2003, A&W’s Singapore operations came to an end. Many Singaporeans grew up eating A&W, and that is one reason why many people are protesting for it to make a comeback in Singapore. Hence, our campaign will draw an emotional appeal, focusing on the theme, â€Å"Bringing back the good old memories†.Based on this central theme, this report covers the Public Relations, Sales Promotions, Personal Selling, Direct Marketing and Budget proposed for the nature of our campaign. A survey was conducted and given out to 80 random applicants to find out more about what they think of the organisation. Online research was also done to examine some of the risks or problems faced in the marketplace, its potential, competition, unique selling advantages and A&Wâ €™s current positioning. Lastly, we have come up with creative strategies to enhance the advertising campaign. Bringing back the good old times† focuses on the old days so we will mainly be using traditional media to stay consistent to our theme. As many youngsters these days use social media to connect, we will also be using a few online methods to stay connected to the new generation. Lastly, putting into consideration the aspects of our personal selling, sales promotion, direct marketing and advertising costs, the proposed costing for the total campaign will be approximately $137,707. IMC Objectives * AdvertisingTo bring back A&W to Singapore by creating brand awareness through focussing on our central theme, â€Å"Bringing back the good old days† and to create the likeability of amongst 80% of our target audience. * Public Relations To create interest and maintain positive image for A&W by drawing as much publicity as possible, and gain huge exposure to reach ou t to our target audience with 30% additional publicity. * Sales promotion Uses price, coupons to help drive and increase attendance by 30% and to also encourage brand switching.Increase consumption and A&W’s sales by at least 3% and to add at least 5% to overall market share by 2015. Agency Introduction Based in Singapore, APG Advertising Pte Ltd was established in 1996 providing a comprehensive range of services. We take the task of understanding the business and propose attractive promotions or campaigns, tailored to your specific industry and budget. We also help clients and our teams put more creativity into campaign planning and capable of handling a variety of advertising for business of different natures.Our teams of professionals, armed with expert knowledge of current trends in the market, embark on providing refreshing marketing ideas to kick start your businesses. We service to not only the local market, but also have our global networks, particularly to Asia, such as Malaysia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand. APG Advertising Agency possesses skilled employees who have combined experience of over 25 years servicing to the local and international industry. We are a fully accredited service agency.We have run print ads, bus advertisements, MRT advertisements, radio/television commercials, point of sales ads, marketing brochures, brand building and have even created websites. Some of the big firms who have used our services include Bank of China, Maybank, Hyflux, Serta, etc. Accreditations from well-known Institutions * Association of Accredited Advertising Agents, Singapore (4As) * Institute of Advertising, Singapore (IAS) * Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) * MediaCorp Singapore Group (MCS) Various Campaigns (Pls refer to Appendix) * Aberdeen * Realstar * Singapore International (Motor Show) * Natas TravelBackground Research Client’s Background A&W Restaurants, Inc. was established in 1919 in Lodi, California, United States. It is a chain of fast-food restaurants that specialize in root beer and root beer floats. The name A&W came about from the surname of the initials Roy W. Allen and Frank Wright. Hence, started the company’s humble beginnings, as A&W. The first fast food restaurant in Singapore was not McDonald’s or KFC, it was A&W. The chain’s expansion was fast in the early nineties, but in the late nineties, the branch at Singapore Zoo closed down, leaving Singapore with seven outlets remaining in 2002.A year later, A&W’s Singapore operations came to an end after shutting down their last outlet at Hougang Heartland Mall. Being the first fast food restaurant in Singapore, A&W left a huge impact on many Singaporeans as they grew up eating A&W. Long before MacDonald, KFC and Burger King came into the picture, it was the most favourite among the teens. It was seen to be â€Å"cool† hanging out in A&W restaurant. Whether it was an easy takeaway (A&W drive through), i ndulging in fast food, or giving a good treat to pamper oneself, A&W was always there. Hence, many Singaporeans yearn for A&W to make a comeback.On Facebook, there are many pages created by fans, called â€Å"Like to bring back A&W in Singapore†, â€Å"Bring back A&W restaurant in Singapore† and many other pages that support A&W into coming back to Singapore. The pages have over 18,000 likes and every now and then, fans would post comments on the wall asking when they are making a comeback or why have they left. Whenever Singaporeans visit Malaysia or Batam, the first thing they think of is to visit the nearest A&W restaurant as well. This shows evidence that A&W has left a huge impression despite drowning due to intense competition.Demand is undoubtedly high and the memories A&W created for its customers is so strong that people are protesting for it to come back until today. Situation Analysis Problems/Risks faced in the Marketplace a) Problems * Viewed as â€Å"Unh ealthy Junk Food† Being a fast food restaurant chain, A&W is perceived as unhealthy and customers may see it as â€Å"just another fast food restaurant†. Because their menu contains fatty food such as Burger, Chicken, Hot Dogs, French Fries, Nuggets, Ice Cream, Milkshakes etc, it may turn customers off as they do not provide a variety of healthy alternative options.Being a family oriented restaurant, it is important that A&W first convince adults or parents to choose their dining experience to be at A&W because they are the ones that have the buying power to bring their children to the restaurant. Hence, if adults or parents are convinced that the food offered by A&W is generally unhealthy or simply seen as â€Å"junk food†, they will not consider bringing their family to dine there regularly, unless for rare treats. * Considered relatively small compared to competitors In 2003, A&W was acquired by YUM! Brands.Currently for A&W, there are over 1,200 restaurants i ncluding 350 international stores in 16 countries and territories. Comparing this figure to other YUM! ’s flagship stores, KFC has about 17,000 restaurants worldwide. McDonald’s has over 34,000 stores worldwide, while Subway has 35,000 locations around the world. With contrast to the other competitors, A&W is relatively small. b) Risks * Of being shut down due to fierce competitions In 1966, A&W launched their first business at Dunearn Road, near the former University of Singapore’s Bukit Timah Campus.The chain was expanding fast, but due to fierce competitions from other fast food competitors, it eventually closed down in 2003. Thus, it is a risk to bring back A&W to Singapore as it has been shut down previously due to intense competition. * Of having inability to handle high cost due to small size Given A&W’s size, there is a risk of the company not being able to handle the high cost as compared to competitors. Because they are relatively small in compa rison to other fast food chain outlets, food inventory, logistics, transportation and other cost may come in as an issue while for ompetitors it is not an issue as they already have many outlets spread in Singapore. Potential The first A&W store opened in Singapore in 1966. Back then, people were more conservative and health conscious which led to one of the reasons why A&W closed down in Singapore in the early 2000s. However, times have changed. Singaporeans these days are much affluent than they used to be. The younger generation is more career-oriented and this leads to more people eating out as they often work overtime. In the current fast-paced society, demand for more  convenient meals is also increasing.Although awareness of the importance of proper diet increased, fast-food, snacks and soft-drink  consumption is also still on the rise. Wendy’s was first in Singapore during the 1980s. Not long before their opening, Wendy’s faced the same issue as A&W due to intense competition and as a result, collapsed and shut down their outlet which was operating at Far East Plaza and Parkway Parade. However, in 2009, the US fast chain reopened in Singapore at Lau Pa Sat in the Central Business District. Since then, they have grown and just recently opened their 11th restaurant at Jurong East MRT Station.Therefore, despite failing in the earlier years, they manage to make a successful comeback and A&W should perhaps make a comeback too. Wendy’s comeback shows evidence that there is potential in the rise of fast food chain outlets. Competition AW operates in the product category of fast food sandwich chains, which is highly competitive and developed. Today,  the three giants in the local fast-food business are McDonald's,  Kentucky Fried Chicken and Burger King, with McDonald's leading the pack. A&W simply cannot compete with the thousands of stores their rivals have world-wide.Although AW does not have the number of units or financial res ources that some of its competitors have now, they do have good brand recognition since they bring about childhood memories to Singaporeans. (i) MacDonald The number of people who thronged  MacDonald’s first outlet opening was so large;  a world record was set for serving the world's highest volume of hamburgers in a single day. Today, McDonald has over 120 restaurants across the island serve 1. 2 million customers every week. Around 9,000 employees keep the McDonald's restaurants running ship-shape.The popular chain is well-known for its Big Macs, Quarter Pounders, and Chicken McNuggets. Most of the outlets are free-standing units offering dine-in and drive-through service. Today one can  find a McDonald's restaurant  in almost every corner of the island and over 40 operating as 24hours stores. About 80% of the restaurants are run by franchisees or affiliates. (ii) Burger King BURGER KING commenced operations in Singapore since 1982 through the opening of its first r estaurant at Peninsula Plaza. Over the years, Burger King Singapore Pte. Ltd. perates more than 40 restaurants in Singapore where customers across the island city can enjoy the great and healthy flame-grilled taste of their products. Providing customers with a great dining experience in the areas of convenience, excellent service and friendly surroundings is and also for the wide and unique menu options is what Burger King achieved. In addition to its popular Whopper sandwich, the chain offers a selection of burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, and breakfast items, along with beverages, desserts, and sides. (iii) KFCKFC is the leader in the chicken segment in the Singapore Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry. There are over 15,000  KFC  outlets in 105 countries and territories around the world. Upon entering every KFC outlets, one will be captivated by the chicken’s aroma. At KFC, they offer high quality and great tasting food in a popular array of complete meals such as Daily Savers Meals, Snackers and Family Feast that enable the whole family to share a fun and satisfying experience with all the affordability and convenience of a fast food restaurant.The popular chain is well known for its fried chicken and its various incarnations – chicken burgers, drumlets, nuggets, ‘popcorn' chicken. The chicken comes in various flavours – original, spicy, crispy. Unique Selling Advantages * World’s No. 1 Root Beer A;W Root Beer is the world's number one selling root beer float and is still mixed fresh daily and sold at hundreds of A&W restaurants. Customers dine at A&W to enjoy their signature products like root beers floats, deep fried cheese curds  and waffles. Long Heritage When people talk about A&W in Singapore, they think of the past and memories because it is the first fast food restaurant in Singapore. Hence, the history behind A&W is a unique selling point as people will always remember A&W as they grew up eating it. Till now, they are still making memories and All American Food. Having a strong history over the brand A&W, is what other competitors can’t achieved. Current Positioning Over the years, A&W has position themselves as a childhood fast food brand.Some positioning strategy that A&W has adopted will be emotional, functional and promotional. The emotional positioning strongly taps into boomers’ memories of their youth at A&W, with the objective of creating smiles and reminisce. The functional positioning focuses on the simple indulgence of a great burger just like it was in 1956. The promotional positioning reflects great value for a premium product. A&W focus their efforts on baby boomers— a market virtually ignored by the other fast-food chains.This group, born between 1946 and 1964, grew up with A&W drive-ins. The brand truly represents their youth and the simple joys that came along with it. We want to bring back memories of these boomers having countless â€Å" firsts† at A&W growing up: their first trip to a fast-food restaurant, â€Å"graduating† to their first Teen Burger, going out on their first date, driving their first car— these were all very important and rich memories. It was clear that A&W is one of the few brands that have the right to align themselves with these milestones in boomers’ lives.We feel that the current positioning is strong and we believe it would work out for our objectives of our campaign. This insight became the basis for an important element of our campaign. IMC Strategies Overall Theme/Big Idea To bring back the fast food chain that Singaporeans grew up loving, focussing on our central theme, â€Å"Bringing back the good old days†. * Creative Direction The advertising appeal that we would use to attract the attention of consumers will be through emotional appeal because emotional appeal will be easier for us to relate our BIG IDEA and campaign to our target group.The way our big idea will be conveyed to consumers will be through slice of life execution as it is able to portray a real life situation that consumers may face daily. As our big idea is to bring back the good old times to consumer who patronize A&W on their re-opening, our advertising video will be about a man who had a hard time at work as his job pile stacks higher and higher but when he walk into A&W and drink their signature root beer float, flash back of the good times he had appeared in his brain making his frown and stressful face to turn into a wide smile, enjoying the moment.Public Relations * Publicity Vehicles Vehicle wraps is one of the most cost efficient advertising tools. Because we believe they have the ability to generate more advertising impressions than any other advertising medium available, we will be hiring three trucks to drive around high traffic areas such as Orchard Road to showcase that A&W is coming back to Singapore. We will feature our theme, â€Å"Bringing back the good old memories near you† to bring awareness to consumers that A&W is returning. Inside the truck, it will contain mini cans of A&W that we will be selling to the public.For every can purchased at $1, customers will get a free A&W balloon to show support for wanting to bring A&W back to Singapore. * Community Activities With the proceeds earned from the mini canned drinks, we will be donating 50% of the proceeds to poor families with low income. Since A&W is a family restaurant, we want to show the importance of family. Thus, A&W will donate proceeds of the earnings to people who deserve it to show our welfare and concern, and to show the community that A&W cares about the society. Sales PromotionThere are various sales promotional tools that A&W can make use of to introduce their come-back in Singapore and so to stimulate trial, repeat or larger purchases. To suit our â€Å"old school† theme campaign, we have decided to make use of 4 different sales promotional tools and they are namely coupons, contests/sweepstakes, price-off deal and frequency programs. Coupons will be distributed using social media website such as Facebook and twitter. A picture of the coupon will be posted on the official Facebook page of A&W and this coupon can be printed and will entitle them to 2 different benefits.On the day of the opening, consumers will be able to enjoy 10% off their total bill instantly upon flashing the coupon and after doing so, a bounce back coupons printed in black and white using old school design will also be given to these consumers in order to encourage repeat purchase. The reason of combining this 2 different method is because of our â€Å"old school† theme. Since our theme focuses on bringing back childhood memories of the consumers, it would be more appropriate if we can make use of traditional marketing method.However, we will be using a small part of social media as it has become increasingly popular among teenagers these day s that make it a much easier and cost-efficient way to reach out to our consumers. However, this promotion will only be valid for a month to introduce the comeback of A&W. Our price-off deals includes set meals which will be available at all times. Since our target audiences are families and our marketing idea is to bring back childhood memories, family set meals is definitely a must-have in our menu.A frequency program will also be combined together with a contest to encourage consumers to try out all the different product that is available on the menu. A frequency card will be issued on your first alacarte purchase and 10 different stamps would need to be collected in order to enjoy the benefit and so to participate in the contest. These 10 collectible stamps represent the different alacarte items; a stamp will be rewarded for each alacarte items being purchased. Collect all 10 different stamps and it will entitle customers to redeem a free â€Å"set meal of the week†.Upon redemption, personal data will need to be filled in at the back of the card to redeem their prizes. This can also be reference for our customer database. Personal Selling For our campaign, we will be having staffs going around the event areas to serve and answer any enquiries by our audience. For example, our staffs will explain to them the main objectives of this campaign and the main reason in bringing back A&W. These will actually nature relationships with customers by understanding their needs and demands. Not only that, we can solve their doubts and recommend ways to satisfy them.Also, our mascots will be going around interacting and bonding with the customers. Customers can take pictures with our mascots or even talk to it. After our campaign, more customers would be informed and will patronize our stores. This will actually brings popularity and publicity for A&W. Direct Marketing & Online Communication Flyers will be distributed to the public around neighbourhood and town ar eas. This will help increase the awareness of consumers that are shopping or staying nearby, giving them a heads-up of what’s going on around them.To ensure that these Flyers will not be treated as junk mail, a free ice-cream coupon will be attached to it. However, consumers can only redeem the free ice cream upon purchasing a set meal. Though our main focus is to publicize re-launching of A&W using outdoor, however there is also a need to use new media to reach out to the younger group of consumers who have not heard of A&W before. We will plan to reach out to them through the means of social media platforms such as facebook and twitter.We will post pictures about during A&W store renovation and what are the varieties of food that A&W will be offering to keep them updated and excited to A&W’s countdown. We will also set up a local A&W website so that the younger generations can find out more about us through this means of platform. Media Strategy & Media Mix (a) Adver tising Campaign With the results that we have obtained through our surveys, we have decided to come out with an advertising campaign for A&W with the objective of letting A&W bring back childhood memories and happiness back to our target audience.Our campaign tag line will be â€Å"A&W, bringing back the good old times. † This advertising campaign is to promote brand recall to our target audience that A&W is back to serve them their favourite Signature Root Beer Float, Curly Fries and their other specialties. We have decided to use local advertising as our aim is to bring A&W back to Singapore. Since our campaign objective and big idea is to bring back old memories, we will be using traditional media such as outdoor posters of media class and media vehicle as well to advertise on A&W will be coming back to Singapore.Media class is a broad category of media such as broadcast, print, outdoor, interactive and etc. Out of all these, we will be choosing outdoor prints advertisemen ts as many people are expecting to see A&W advertisements at outdoor places. Media vehicles will be at bus stops, train stations and even on buses. Thus, for bus stops, we will be having a simple advert of A&W's logo and campaign theme with a digital countdown system at the bottom of the poster, stating how many more days to A;W's re-opening.For train stations, we have decided to have our advert to be paste at Toa Payoh station as it is a district located in the central region of Singapore with many housing estates and facilities around them. Hence, it would be great for us to put our advertisements there as it is not that expensive compared to placing it at orchard and Toa Payoh is more of a family oriented place. So, it would be a win-win situation for us as not only could we save money but we would be able to reach out to our target audience which is families as well.Lastly, for buses, we have decided to check a few buses to have A&W's advertisement on them while inside of the bu s will have mini advertisement posters hanging on the poles where anybody who takes it will be given a 20% off when purchasing from A;W when they re-open in Singapore. Another media class that we will be choosing is television channels. As for the media vehicles will be television channels such as Channel 8 and Channel 5. The reason why we have chose these 2 channels is because people are expecting to see our advertisements on TV and Channel 5 ; 8 audience are mostly families.Hence, it matches with our target audience. Continuity scheduling technique will be used to re-reach to our target audience so that we can arouse more attention from the public. The television advertisement that we will be coming out with will be more family oriented, focusing on our theme of bringing back the good old times. There will be approximately 4 parts of the scene which depicts how A;W will bring back the good old times to consumers from the new technology world. It will also show howA;W will release their stressful life after visiting A;W where flashback of good old memories made their day a better one. Every week one scene will be played and at the end of the 4 weeks, it will be also the day where A;W re-open in Singapore. Though there are downsides of selecting these media tools such as high production cost and short exposure time but we are confident that with the correct location for our posters to be placed up at and with interesting television advertisement, we will be able to gain the response that we are targeting to achieve. b) Marketing Mix Strategies Product: People remember A;W for their unique root beer float over the years till now. Today, it has franchise locations throughout much of the world, serving a typical fast food menu of hamburgers and French fries, as well as hot dogs. One would be able to enjoy the unique and quality food served in A;W outlets at the same time creating/recalling memories of the past times at A;W. Not only that, A;W packaging colors of brown, white, orange and yellow also left an impactful impressions to their customers.Place: The place of our campaign will be all around Singapore but putting more focus at Toa Payoh as we are planning to re-open the A;W outlet there. The reason why we choose Toa Payoh is due to the high traffic flow of families around that area. They have many facilities like Safra, Swimming Complex, library, movie theatre and neighbourhood schools which would attract many school kids and families who visit Toa Payoh for their variety of facilities over there. Hence the selection of the location where our main campaign location will be along with the big poster of A;W reopening paste on the train station of Toa Payoh.Price: The price of A;W standard food combos will be approximately from $5 to $8. Prices are stated based on analysis of other competitors price and cost of product. Besides standard food combos which includes main course and their signature root beer float, A;W will also sell ala car t items such as their curly fries, burgers and others. Regular curly fries will be set at $2 will large curly fries will be $3. For their regular signature root beer float will be $2. 95 while large signature root beer float will be $3. 5 and jumbo signature root beer float for two will be charged at $4. 95. Promotion: During the campaign period, customers who visit A;W with the mini advertisement that they took from the busses will be entitled to a 20% discount on standard food combos purchased or a total bill of $5 and above. This promotion will last one month from the day of reopening of A;W at Toa Payoh. The promotion is created to attract the crowd back to A;W and also attention of the public. Campaign Budget | Description| Quantity| Duration| Pay rate| Total| Public Relations| | 1. | Trucks| 3| 3 hrs| $150/day| $450| 2. | Drivers (3hrs/day)| 3| 3 hrs| $15/hr| $135| 3. | Workers| 6| 3 hrs| $6/hr| $108| 4. | Donations| | | | $150| | Sales Promotion| | 5. | Printing of Coupons| 5 0,000| | | $1000| 6. | Coupon Value(Digital Coupon)| 50,000| | | $25,000| 7. | Production of Frequency Card| 50,000| | | $3000| | Direct Marketing| | 8. | Production of Flyers| 100,000| | | $2500| 9. | Flyer Distributor| 5 | 10 hours| $6/hr| $300| 10. | Mascot| 1| 8 hours| $8/hr| $64| | Advertising| | 1. | Poster Space: Toa Payoh MRT Station | 1| 2. 5 weeks| | $15,000| 12. | Poster Space: All Toa Payoh Bus Stops| | 2. 5 weeks| | $10,000| 13. | Advertising: Comfort Delgro| | 2. 5 weeks| | $8,000| 14. | Print Productions for posters etc. | | | | $30,000| 15. | TV commercial (15seconds)AirTime on Channel 8| 3 slots/day| 2 weeks| $500/time slot $1500/day| $21,000| 16. | TV commercial (15seconds)AirTime on Channel 5| 3 slots/day| 2 weeks| $500/time slot $1500/day| $21,000| | Total| $137,707| Round-Up Budget| $150,000|