A Case Study: Dispatches from the War on Stress

Situation This article discusses the global effects of workplace stress. In this day’s business world, employee’s psychological health is overshadowed by the need to meet numbers and expectations. With a higher demand to meet goals, along with the increased pressure from competing firms, companies have been distinctively increasing employee workload; which in turn, produces a build-up of work-related stress for the employee. As a result, more cases of employee dissatisfaction and burn-out are amounting and becoming more apparent. Many companies are now tackling this growing issue of stress with different thoughts and methods to help reduce it for a more effective and happy employee. Key Issues Mark Ostermann, Chicago office of Boston Consulting Group. Mr. Ostermann was a case at which work-place stress has resulted in him to put excessive hours (60+) for a month and a half straight in order to finish a project. Luckily, the â€Å"Red Zone† police (a group created by the company to help with employee satisfaction) was able to intervene before the stress became unbearable. Not much later, Ostermann was within an action plan to solve his overwork problem. In no time, more people were added to his team to divide the work along with better managerial support. Renault automaker. In the course of five months, three engineers committed suicide who left notes stating about their unreasonable work-loads, immense work-place pressure, and humiliating criticisms in front of colleagues. Known for setting grand targets to boost sales, Renault has acknowledged the pressure put on their employees and committed a plan along with $10 million to alleviate workplace stress. In addition, the company began to train managers on how to avoid negative stress along with psychologists to help educate senior executives. The company also has put an effort to set up more places for socializing and relaxation. Problem There is no question that the workplace is a very stressful place. Most companies who are under a lot of pressure to meet goals are constantly striving to meet these achievements. As a result of the goals set by senior executives, the stress is burdened on the shoulders of the employees. The roblem is not work-stress, but the global lack of prevention of â€Å"over stressing† and lack of knowledge in identifying and managing it. It is the case with Renault Automaker, when it took the deaths of three engineers due to work-related stress before setting a program to alleviate work-related stress. In the case of Mark Ostermann, adequate knowledge in identifying stress by the â€Å"Red Zone† team prevented further development of unwanted con sequences in relation to his project. Alternative Solutions Work-related stress is inevitable, but may be alleviated and contained to a minimum by doing implementing a number of programs. 1. Impose mandatory relaxation and social time during the work day. In the recent cases of Toyota Co. recalling vehicles for numerous â€Å"manufacturing defects†, part of the blame has been pointed towards the Toyota Japan’s work ethic (Holt 2010). Workers for Toyota Japan often put in 60+ hours per week, have shorter break times. 2. Provide better training for managers about psychological stress. Often the problem lies within the inability of managers to spot employees who are experiencing an extraordinary amount of stress. From the ability to realize work-stress to their ability to criticize others, added training can benefit the entire workplace. . Provide onsite programs geared toward stress management. Many companies have resorted to onsite programs to help with stress management (Clabaugh 2009). Resources vary from onsite massage stations, yoga lunch breaks, to onsite oil changes. Selected Solution Knowledge is power. It ensures that the more we know, the more we ca n manipulate it. Providing better training for managers about stress management and the effects of psychological stress can effectively reduce the amount of extraordinary stress on employees within the workplace. Companies strive to achieve higher goals and to get the most â€Å"work† from the employees. Better training in stress management helps set reasonable goals as to maintain efficiency and prevent over-working. With better training, managers will be more likely to notice individual employees experiencing symptoms from over-work. Much stress from the workplace also comes from demeaning criticisms and fear of â€Å"the boss†. Training for managers on effects of psychological stress can help managers choose their words wisely as to reflect the issue at hand without creating a stressful encounter. Case Questions 1. This case study describes various ways that companies try to manage workplace stress. Referring to the types of stress management strategies described in this chapter, which approaches are applied most and least often? In this case study, the strategy applied most is the provision of â€Å"workplace de-stressors†. General Mills provides in-house personal services to help maximize employee time with social and familial aspects of their lives rather than using off days to do errands. From this study, the least used is a survey method to assess stress as mentioned by IBM computers. 2. What stress outcomes are mentioned in this case study? What stressors are noted in association with these stress outcomes? One of the stress outcomes which was mentioned was suicide. Leading to suicide, the engineers left notes stating the insurmountable amount of stress burdened onto them by high workloads, high-pressure management tactics, humiliating criticisms, and exhaustion. 3. Some of the stress problems described in this chapter refer to winning or losing in performance management. Why would the risk of failing to achieve performance goals result in such serious stress outcomes? Most individuals strive for acceptance, especially in the work place. Failing to achieve performance goals brings about the feelings of inadequacy and humility for many. In most cases, employees strive to do their best at the expense of personal time and family in order to earn achievements in the work place. Not being able to reach goals can be detrimental to one’s psyche. References Mueller, C. (2005, December 19). Stress Management In The Workplace: Handling Work Stress. Retrieved March 14, 2010, from http://ezinearticles. com/? Stress- ¬Management- ¬In- ¬The–Workplace:- ¬Handling- ¬Work- ¬Stress&id=115473 Clabaugh, J (November 2009). Employers tackle on-the-job stress. Retrieved March 14, 2010 from Washington Business Journal

Paradigm in Nursing Essay

Nursing as any science is a tentative, testable and falsifiable discipline. It undergoes: empirical observation, hypothesis development, experiment, results/finding and finally conclusion. Basing on the finding, one can accept or reject the hypothesis. Theory has been seen as the model of the ethics of conducting a set up and while forth is in position to predict future occurrences or observations of the same kind and capable of being tested through experiment or otherwise verified through observation. Each theory has set principles on how to verify it known as paradigm. Discussion Paradigms are a set of postulations; practices shared by a particular body, say a community of researchers and stems from a single theme. The paradigm seeks to regulate inquiry into the discipline that is concerned. It can therefore be viewed as the norm which the scientists or researchers can use as platform which they can agree of disagree depending on their findings. The various paradigms have one thing in common. They are characterized by ontological, epistemological and methodological differences in their approaches to conducting research (Demarest, et al 1993). This in return contributes to paradigm shift. Paradigm is seen to supersede mere interpretation of the tabulated finding or basic understanding in general. Superstition of paradigm consequently gives varied contribution in the area of disciplinary knowledge construction. Depending on the researchers sentiments/he may consider these differences so vast that one paradigm is inequivalent to another. Alternatively, these differences may be ignored or combined so as to conduct the research needed. To accomplish the task of developing nursing knowledge for use in practice, there is a need for a critical, integrated understanding of the paradigms used for nursing inquiry. This is arising due to the fact that each paradigm has a shift (Demarest, et al 1993). For instance, Child development defects will be viewed from various aspects and hence differing paradigm. A biologist my evaluate child development in perspective that children will naturally gain knowledge as they physically grow and become older, provided that they are healthy. Others may view that the child gains knowledge depending on its surrounding or what it interact with; while others view that a child is due for school after it starts interacting with environment and people as well. A nurse scholar can thus decide to combine the three theories or ignore all to achieve what s/he is researching on. Conclusion In conclusion the nurse researcher should weigh the pros and cons of a particular paradigm in his/her approach to assess of existing knowledge and thereby fill the informational gaps. This is because dominance of a particular paradigm is influenced by a number of factors. These may include: the source of finance for the research, government influence, biases from the journal and editors of the print, conferences and symposiums held, coverage by the media, educators who are responsible of spreading the paradigm to their students as well as the professional bodies which may favor a particular paradigm. However, paradigm should be natural and operational in all times.

How does our design fit in with the design challenge Essay

How does our design fit in with the design challenge - Essay Example The design allows the pedals to adjust their force accordingly, such that when the user’s strength decided the degree of assistance coming from the pedals. As the user exerts more power, the pedals provide less assistance in response to the additional energy. In that sequence, the user can use less force as they cycle uphill and downhill, thus ensuring constant and less tedious movement. Another innovation in the design of the electric bicycle is the flywheel. The flywheel on the bicycle operates on electric power generated from a battery pack. As noted earlier, people have less power to cycle in old age. The electronically powered wheel can spin continuously, enabling the bicycle to keep moving even when the bicycle moves at considerably low speeds. The wheel’s design may assist people in their old age to maintain mobility in instances where they would otherwise use more energy to keep the bicycle mobile. These two features give due empowerment and motivation to the elderly, enabling them to use less energy as they cycle during old age, thus satisfying the requirements of the design

Key Marketing Issues Facing Gillette Indonesia Case Study

Key Marketing Issues Facing Gillette Indonesia - Case Study Example 1). The company sought to satisfy its domestic and export market. As such, the company manufactures high quality razor blades and shaving systems (Quelch & Bartlett 2006, p. 360). Its target market includes adult urban males who include the working class and college students who manifest western grooming habits (Kanter & Dretler 1998, p. 60-68). However, the company faces immense competition from Tatra, Tiger, and SuperNacet companies that manufactures low-end double-edged blades (Harvard Business School 1998, p. 1). Gillette Indonesia operates in developing countries (Ricardo-Campbell 1997, p. 59) and hence records immense growth from the population and prosperity in Indonesia where shaving is relatively new. The company is already planning to implement a sales price increase (Sarah Ellison & Forelle 2005, p. 1). However, Indonesians only shave 4-9 times in a month. Subject to the fact that the incidence of shaving is relatively low in Indonesia, Gillette Indonesia is having problem s in meeting its growth targets. Gillette must consider raising the awareness on shaving and personal grooming to improve the frequency of shaving, to support Gillette’s sales increase. Situational Analysis Gillette Indonesia seeks to grow and satisfy its domestic market as well as its export targets in developing nations. The company is struggling to capture its market share in Indonesia and focuses on expanding its market. However, shaving and personal grooming is not a priority and many people consider it as a luxury. Gillette Indonesia Financial Analysis In 1996, Gillette Indonesia sought to increase its sales by 25%, which necessitated for an effective marketing plan. Indeed, by 1995, Gillette Indonesia had a 48% unit share in Indonesia and the company sought to increase this percentage to 50% in 1996 (Harvard Business School 1998, p. 5). By this time, the overall market had approximately 40 million urban men over 18 years old that shave where about 13 million people in Indonesia used Gillette blades. Notably, the shaving incidence in Indonesia was at an approximated average of 5.5 times per month, which was much lower than the incidence in other countries like U.S. However, with a view of increasing and maintaining profits, Gillette increased its prices, which resulted to a 2% growth of unit sales in the market (Herath & Park 1999, p. 1-35). Actually, the company had a sales value of $23 million and net profit of $4.6 million with its 48% market share in Indonesia. There are two types of Gillette target customers where the premium customer is a male Indonesian in the growing income class of greater than $10,000 household income. On the other hand, the standard customer belongs to the income class of less than $10,000 household income (Harvard Business School 1998, p. 3). Moreover, the economic conditions in Indonesia are on the rise with the average annual GDP growth standing at 7% in 1995 (Harvard Business School 1998, p. 3). As such, the demand and sales for Gillette blades is likely to increase in the future if the economic growth rate persists. Therefore, to increase the sales by 25%, the company must devise an effective marketing plan to segment and target its customers (Herath & Park 1999, p. 1-35), which is seemingly very challenging in a country where many people consider shaving and persona l glooming as a luxury. Gillette Indonesia SWOT Analysis Strengths Gillette Indonesia specializes in the manufacturing of high quality razor blades and shaving systems, which contributes to the competitiveness of the company (Kanter & Dretler 1998, p. 60-68). It offers a wide range of

Suggested Central Bank for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Assignment

Suggested Central Bank for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Assignment Example The similar nature of their economic structure implies that they have common sources of strengths and weakness in their financial systems. They are heavily dependent on their natural resources which are in the process of being depleted. Hence the GCC nations have made diversification of their economic activities as a long-term policy objective. Their financial sector has a central role to play in this strategy of economic diversification. The financial sector is like an intermediary contributing to the economic development of the GCC countries through creation of profits and employment. It also helps in efficient allocation of the financial resources. Hence to tap this potential, the GCC countries have decided to develop a central bank known as Central Bank for Gulf Cooperation Council to help in the domestic regulatory and supervisory framework by participating in the financial institutions and through grants and subsidies. The GCC economies are facing a lot of political turmoil and this can have negative consequences in the financial markets and in the foreign direct investment in these countries. In this report we will analyses the role to be played by the proposed Central Bank for Gulf Cooperation Council towards the economy in these countries. Discussion The real GDP of the economies of GCC grew at a yearly average rate of 4.7% between 2000 and 2010. Compare to this the OECD have only attained an annual growth rate of 1.5%. But it is less than the average growth rate of the BRIC countries which is 8% year-on-year. Figure 1: Real GDP Growth Rate Source: World Bank WDI, IMF projection The Central Bank of GCC has to protect their financial structure form global financial crisis. The Central Bank needs to capitalize their banks so that they can meet the minimum capital adequacy ratio and a comfortable leverage ratio as per the international standard. Still there exists a risk of a possible worsening of the asset quality of the banks due to a worsening of balan ce sheets. Such risk gets increased for economies which have high credit growth rates just prior to any crisis (Strom, Rasmussen and Robinson, 2011). The GCC banks have indicated some weakness in regard with the operational aspects of the GCC banks and hence the Central bank needs to frame policy which removes this weakness. It was seen that a few GCC countries have witnessed a rapid growth in the credit during the oil boom period just prior to the financial crisis. This showed that this rise in the available bank liquidity and increase in the lending rates was associated with higher oil prices (Accenture, 2011). This gave rise to the risk and high liquidity volatility in their banks. It has been seen in the international market that the rapid growth in credit in times of high growth rate results in degrading the asset quality as the situation worsens. Here it was seen that with sharp fall in the oil prices have led to slowdown in the growth rate and also have degraded the asset qua lity of the banks and in turn puts a strain in the liquidity position of the banks. Hence the Central bank of GCC needs to evaluate their policy measures so that the effect of oil prices doesn’t have significant impact on their financial sector. The Central Bank of GCC also needs to take into account the bank’

Social Mobility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Social Mobility - Essay Example In America, people do not have fixed opinions about social inequalities. Most of them think that inequality is unavoidable even though it is undesirable. Social mobility is the movement of lower class from the lower layers to the upper layer. It is a widely discussed term and many theories were formulated in the past to increase the mobility of people from the lower layer to the upper layer. Individuals or group of individuals have specific status or roles in our society. Society often looks or treats people differently based on their intelligence, wealth, profession, community, race, culture etc. Based on the above privileges, enjoyed by an individual or group of individuals, society places people at different classes like; upper class, middle class and lower class. People with higher income and higher social status may often be referred as upper class whereas people with medium income and medium social status are termed as middle class. Poor people and those with low social status often come in the lower class category. When the class system decides based on the financial status, it is possible for individuals to move from lower class to medium or upper class; however when the class system is decided based on culture or race, it is impossible for a person from lower class to move to the upper levels or vice versa. ... When a person changes his profession without any changes in his income, his status changes within the class and it can be referred as horizontal mobility. In other words, changes in class occur in vertical mobility whereas changes in status occur in horizontal mobility. According to Brooks (2011) â€Å"You can pump money into poor areas, but without cultures that foster self-control, you won’t get social mobility† (Brooks, p.320). In other words, money alone may not be helpful in stimulating social mobility. The attitude of the people plays a vital role in stimulating social mobility. Even if a person from the lower class attains enough wealth, the upper class may not accept him as a member of privileged class or upper class in some cultures where caste system prevails. In order to learn more about different dimensions and causes of social mobility, I decided to research this topic further. I have conducted interviews with two families to collect primary data. I have in terviewed my mom for collecting my own family data and another neighboring family friend and this paper is developed based on these interviews. Apart from these primary data, I collected secondary data from internet and academic journals. Both primary and secondary data were analyzed thoroughly to make conclusions about the causes of social mobility. Interview with my mom My mom has a four year MBA degree and she was in middle class during her childhood. At present my mom and my family belong to upper class. In other words, education helped my mom to get better profession and higher status in society. It should also be noted that in US, even lower middle class people ascribe more importance to their education which is a good sign. Education plays a vital role in implementing social changes and it

Print Ad Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Print Ad Analysis - Essay Example The advertisement I have chosen is just like that- it depicts a company of three friends driving a cabriolet in some desert like area and having fun. They are screaming, shouting, and singing drunk with new possibilities. I have noticed that the whole advertisement presupposes motion as all the people on the image are moving. A young boy in his twenties is evidently spending time with his two friends in a trip to the ocean. The advertisement can be interpreted as a call to adventures and taking risks because youth is what usually pushes people to try something new all the time. The motto of the whole Levi`s campaign is â€Å"I will not sit at home collecting dust† and by this slogan the brand explains that it creates roadwear –the clothes perfect for movement and ready for any challenges like getting dirt ad washing. If we recall that jeans were initially invented as the trousers for cowboys so they had to be extremely long lasting, than it is getting clear why Levi`s has chosen such style. The time when men were riding wild young horses and felt adrenalin in their blood has passed. Today many young people prefer the comfort of their bedrooms to real adventures. That is why Levi`s creat ing the advertisement which visually appeals to movement, changes, and challenges wants to recall young people what they were made for. Another noticeable element of the advertisement is the spirit of friendship. There are two boys and one girl in the car and they are literally on the same wave of future adventures. Levi`s emphasizes this team spirit on all images of their campaign- people ready to share time and emotions together, ready to have joy and support each other in critical situations. What stops most of us from going on a long trip around the country? The absence of a good company mostly. And Levi`s tries to show that it is rather easy to find those who will be there for you especially is your share common tastes in fashion. Therefore,

Why is it so difficult to assess and evaluate the likelihood of Essay

Why is it so difficult to assess and evaluate the likelihood of terrorist attacks, both within the United States and throughout the world - Essay Example terrorist attacks in the United States made the government and counter-terrorist organizations realize the urgent and efficient need of counter-terrorist tactics and methodologies for the protection of their public, leadership and infrastructure. Governments of countries all across the world are emerging with modern and effectual strategies. However, certain hindrances are faced during the process of terrorist risk assessment and evaluation. The paper highlights such problems. Terrorists have used a variety of tactics over a period of time to bring about fear in the minds of general public or any particular group of people. Hence, it would be safe to say that terrorists aim to cause a psychological impact significantly. Common tactics employed by terrorists are bombings, biological and chemical attacks, environmental attacks such as hazardous waste disposal and other tactics such as hijacking, kidnapping, sabotage and arson (Duncan et al 313). International counterterrorism efforts include not only state-to-state co-operation but also multilateral co-ordination such as through Interpol. However, it has been observed that Interpol, international police agency, effectiveness has been restricted due to particular reasons. It is poorly funded and the quantity of staff is also not enough limiting its effectiveness. Moreover, Interpol is not allowed to involve in political issues (Duncan et al 315). The separation of Interpol from politics makes counterterroris m a difficult procedure as most of the terrorist attacks are related to political issues and circumstances. The European Union also developed a similarly acting agency called as Europol. Although Europol works effectively in controlling drugs and human trafficking, the counterterrorism efforts are still lagging behind. Europol requires political, technical and financial enhancement and development to tackle terrorist organizations or activities (Duncan et al 315). One of the major problems faced by the

How does the Constitution address the Grievances enumerates in the Essay

How does the Constitution address the Grievances enumerates in the Declaration of Indepence (use only 3 or 4 Grievances) - Essay Example The time went on, and the injuries inflicted upon the American people worsened. The elders of America attended forum over forum and at last addressed the British people, but they were not paid heed to. The King of Britain saw these efforts as alarming and started a ruthless war against America. This was the moment the elders of America were left with no alternative but to go for their separation from Britain (Jefferson and Fink 12-15). It was 1776 that the thirteen colonies of the Atlantic Coast rebelled against their mother kingdom England. They declared their independence and formed a confederation of states. From the very first day of the establishment of the confederation, it was loosely organized. There were no centralized powers to bind the states in a particular way. A think-tank called Congress consisted of the delegates from member states. The purpose of Congress was to make recommendations; however, it had no powers to implement these recommendations. Resultantly, the state s violated the recommendations as well as laws and rules again and again. Time went by and the situation aggravated as the states insisted to retain their sovereignty. There was neither any central judiciary nor any common executive branches of law. Both were necessary for the concept of Confederacy to succeed. After a few years, the experiences revealed that it was no more possible to bind all the states together in one frame. To meet the common ends, the establishment of an effective central government was necessary. In order to frame a joint central constitution, a convention was called in Philadelphia in 1787. They had laid the first stone of the base. The efforts bore fruit when the Constitution came into effect in 1789. According to it, different states had been organized on a federal basis. Today, the United States of America consists of 50 states, all coexisting in harmony. It stands to reason that the way England treat the people of America was unacceptable for them. The Co nstitution aimed at removing the same distresses which had forced them in the past to announce independence. For instance, one of the grievances, as it was highlighted in the Declaration of Independence, complained against the King: â€Å"He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within† (Jefferson and Fink 13). The Constitution of the United States of America provides redress of the said grievance with Section-2 of the Article-I in the words: â€Å"The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states, and the electors in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for the most numerous branch of the State Legislature† (Kammen 37). Th e Declaration reflects the anger of the people who did not a governor who could provide them the right to vote. The King could not be reached as no representative body existed there for long to bring the people’s miseries to the notice of the sovereign of England. The Constitution provided the people of the American States the right to elect the persons who could fight for them in their cause. They were now able to send their voice to the high towers of

History of Database Technology and Data Models Essay Example for Free

History of Database Technology and Data Models Essay Imagine that you own bank and along with that, you own your bank’s credibility to your 100,000 clients. Just writing down each client’s information in a piece of paper would not be very secure and practical nowadays. That’s how an electronic database system comes in the picture. In this fast growing world, a technology like a database system is very necessary for establishments that hold a huge amount of data. However, the development of the current database technology and database models underwent an intricate process before it comes to a full bloom. In 1964, the word â€Å"database† technically denoted collections of data shared by end-users of time sharing computer systems and was coined by workers in a military information system. In addition, around 1960s, private companies started to own computers because of their increasing storage capabilities. Two data models were introduced: network (CODASYL) and hierarchical (IMS) model. During that time, database management systems were unsystematic. There no actual theoretical model about data organization. There was more emphasis on the processing of the records rather than the overall structure of the database system. During the 1970s, many astonishing breakthroughs on databases were witnessed. It was about the 1970 that E. F. Codd proposed a relational model for databases. The presented a system that separates the logical organization (schema) of a database from the physical storages and since that, it has been a standard in the field of computing. The term Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) was coined during this period. Theories about databases had finally made its way to the mainstream research projects. Two main prototypes for RDBMS were created: Ingres that was developed at UCB and this system used QUEL as query language and System R that was developed at IBM San Jose and this system used SEQUEL as query language. Meanwhile, in 1976, P. Chen suggested the Entity-Relationship (ER) model for database design which was proved to be vital in conceptual data models. This proposal enabled the designers to focus more on the data usage rather than its logical table structure. Commercialization of database systems for businesses began during the 1980s as demands for computers boomed. In addition, Structured Query Language (SQL) became a standard for database systems during these periods. DB2 became IBM’s flagship and development of IBM PC paved the way for more database companies and products like Dbase III and IV, Database Manager, OS/2 and Watcom SQL. The network and hierarchical models for database also started to disappear in the background. When the 1990s came, only a few surviving companies began to offer complex products at higher prices. Developments on database systems were more focused on client tool applications such as PowerBuilder (Sybase), Oracle Developer and VB (Microsoft). Some personal productivity tools related to database management were also created such as Microsoft Access and Excel. Some prototypes of Object Database Management System (ODBMS) also arose in the 1990s. It was also during the 1990s that the World Wide Web appeared. Large investments were made by Internet-related companies on Web and database connectors. Examples of these connectors are Active Server Pages (ASP), Java Servlets, JDBC, ColdFusion, Dream Weaver and Oracle Developer 2000. A solid growth of database applications was still observed in the early 21st century. Three companies continually dominate the database market: Oracle, IBM and Microsoft. In the near future, it is generally seen that databases management will be more sophisticated since huge systems (systems with storage measured in terabytes) are currently existing today. Most of these systems are used by most projects with science databases (genome projects, space exploration data). However, the â€Å"next great thing† on is the usage of XML with Java and other emerging technologies as a way to store data.

Causes of the Little India Riots

Causes of the Little India Riots Introduction In December 2013, an alarming incident hit Singapore and shocked the entire world. Newspaper, reports on it spread across the globe. This incident is no other than the Little India’s Riot. The severity of this issue had sent different messages to the different communities in Singapore. For instance, the government realized the need to look into the issue of migrant workers, Singaporeans preconceived stereotype of these migrant workers worsen and migrant workers possibly losing a place where they can get to enjoy the sense homeliness that they missed dearly. Hence as a result of this highly discussed incident in Little India, I have decided to take a closer look at Little India and the tension that was built up among the residents and the migrant workers there. Prior to this incident, based on a research by T.C. Chang (2000), most of the initial displeasures came from the non-Indian community living in Little India. (Chang, 2000) However, the result of the riot had sparked off increasing concerns from the Indian residents as well. The riot did not occur due to the tension built up but it certainly did amplify the concerns residents have on the migrant workers and their existence. In this paper, we will look at the history of Little India and the present situation, followed by the reasons for the migrant workers’ gatherings and finally the cause of these tension built up to provide a better picture on how the co-presence of migrant workers and residents created tension. However, prior to that, I would like to introduce certain geog raphical terms that will be used throughout this paper which are mainly, space, place and identity. Space in geography is often used in doing spatial analysis. There are many definitions of space available in the different literatures. However, in the context of this paper, we will be looking at Cognitive Space. Cognitive Space is often used when space is shaped by human’s values and thinking. It is bounded by settings which comprises the identities and relations people have with it. Hence, neither space nor place can exist without one another. (Agnew, 2011; Furland, 2008; Mazà ºr Urbà ¡nek, 1983; Horodniceanu, n.d) According to Edward Relph’s book titled Place and Placelessness (1980), he defined place as â€Å"fusions of human and nature order and are the significant centers of our immediate experiences of the world†(p. 141). In order words, place is somewhere where an individual or group has a strong sense of attachment to, creating a sense of identity with the place. (Monnet, 2011; Hauge, 2007; Tuan, 2001; Seamon, 1996; Relph, 1980) In short, space, plac e and identity are often interlinked and one could not exist without another. Having said that, with a brief introduction to these key terms, we will move on to take a closer look at the issue mentioned. History of Little India Little India is not quite like how it is termed. It was never a designated ethnic enclave, dominated by one particular community, unlike Chinatown. However, under the development of Singapore and the cattle trading industry in the mid-1800s in Little India, it had attracted many Indian traders and laborers coming into Little India and eventually settling down there. The increasing growth of the Indian population during the 19th and 20th century led to the numerous cultural and religious landmarks such as Hindu temples that can still be observed today. By then, Little India was dominated by the Tamil-speaking south Indians. The commercial and retail activities catered specifically to this specific community grew rapidly. Even though it was predominantly occupied by the Indians, there were Chinese and Eurasians inhabitants as well. Hence, Little India is considered have a multi-ethnicity population and not just the Indian community. The diversity of population is showcased through the wide array of worship places in the area catering to the different communities and religions which can be found as architectural landmarks in Little India today. (Chang, 2000; URA, 1995; Wong, n.d) Present situation Fast forward to today’s context, it is undeniable there has been an increasing trend in the number of migrant workers coming into Singapore seeking for job opportunities. Based on the statistics obtained from the Ministry of Manpower Singapore, the number of work permits issued for the construction industry increased from 180,000 as of December 2007 to 306,500 in June 2013 (Ministry of Manpower, 2013). The number of foreign workers working in the construction industry had increased by close to 40% as of the figure in 2007. You might be wondering why the emphasis on migrant workers in the construction industry. This is because large percentage of them came from South Asian and shared a similar culture of the Indians. As such, Little India became a place where they gather during the weekends, converting public and private spaces in their own diaspora third spaces. (Yew, 2014) Their presence had also caused an undeniable change in the landscape of Little India. For instance, Beng ali is now the second mostly widely seen and spoken language in Little India. There are also increasing numbers of Bengali restaurants selling Bengali cuisines and even retail shops selling Bengali products set up along the streets of Little India. The characteristics of a street in South Asian can be seen transported into the streets of Little India, replacing many of Little India’s very own characteristics. (Yew, 2014) This process of place-making is also known as personalization. It refers to putting a distinctive mark on a place and it can be in the form of physical changes or attitudinal changes. In this case, we can see that the influence of these migrant workers had created both tangible and intangible forms of personalization on Little India. (Garcia, 2012) The touch of personalisation further entice them into visiting Little India as based on the article â€Å"Home away from Home† by The Straits Times (2013), Little India provides them with the sense of homeli ness, which they had left behind to seek job opportunities in Singapore. It is also estimated that the numbers of migrant workers going to Little India on Sundays can hit more than 30,000. Reasons This increasing trend had caused tension to build up between them and the residents creating an insider-outsider dichotomy in Little India. (Chang, 2000) An insider refers to someone that has a sense of social belonging and is adapted to fit the space while an outsider, is someone who does not feel belonged and feels culturally out of place. According the Edward Relph (1980), there are different forms of insideness and outsideness. In the context of Little India, the residents themselves take up the identity as existential insiders. It is only possible for people who live in that place and had developed a strong sense of belonging and identity with it. The migrant workers on the other hand are incidental outsiders whereby the place was just a setting where they have their activities at. (Relph, 1980) As a result of the co-existence of these two communities in one place, one as an insider and the other as an outsider, a dichotomy will follow because of the different importance the pla ce plays for them. Residents, as insiders, will value the place much more than the migrant workers as the place provides them with a sense of belonging, attachment and identity and played an important role in their daily lives as it is the place where they live and play. The migrant workers on the other hand may only refer Little India as a place for them to gather over the weekends as it provides them the sense of homeliness. (Chan et al., 2013) Therefore, because of different importance Little India plays for the different community, certain behaviors or actions carried out by the â€Å"outsiders† in it may be deemed as unacceptable by the â€Å"insiders†. The unacceptance of the actions hence creates a tension build up between the two. In addition, the sense of insideness and belonging the residents had of Little India also portrayed an implicit sense that they entitled more rights to the space compared to the â€Å"outsiders† and that these public spaces should not be â€Å"owned† by the â€Å"outsiders† during the weekends. However, no one actually legally owns these public spaces. (Yew, 2014) Hence, as a result of these prejudice ownership of rights of the residents and the tension built up overtime, these common spaces where these migrant workers tend to frequent in large numbers were constructed into social problems as their attempts in reclaiming of public spaces. (Yew, 2014; Chang, 2014; Berlenger et al. 2012; Garcia, 2012) The increasing trend of tension build up could be seen from the increasing numbers of reports on the complaints residents had lodged on the migrant workers because of their misconduct. Most of the residents interviewed voiced that the presence of these migrant workers was a major issue that should be looked at. Many complained of their rowdiness under void decks, loitering and even claimed to feel unsafe. This is especially so after the recent riot that occurred in Little India in December 2013. (Yahoo, 2013; Lee, 2013; Gan, 2011; Chang, 2014) However, I feel that besides the insider-outsider dichotomy inside Little India between the residents and migrant workers, the concept of â€Å"othering†, the marginalization of migrant workers in Singapore is highly applicable to the reason for tension build up as well. (Rubdy Mckay, 2013; Vincent et al., 2006) Migrant workers coming into Singapore has always been seen as an â€Å"other† on Singapore landscapes and were marginalized by society. The preconceived stereotype the general public had of the migrant workers often associate it with the 3’Ds which are dirty, difficult and dangerous. (Yew, 2014; Rubdy Mckay, 2013; Vincent et al., 2006) Hence, because of the jobs they are involved in, mostly construction, they are often seen as the â€Å"foreign, lowly and othered pariahs in society† (Rosanow, n.d). These perceptions could be due to the lack of exposure to these workers or even hearsay. Even though there were efforts made by the government, it is still not possible to erase the fundamental relationship between Singaporeans and the migrant workers that had built up for a long time. Hence, due to the preconceived stereotypes the general public had of migrant workers and the increasing numbers of migrant workers, it amplified the anxieties of alterity residents had of the migrant workers in Little India. This increasing sense of alterity is also one of the possible causes of insider-outsider dichotomy in the area, thus creating tension due to unacceptability. Hence, we can say that the issue of marginalization of foreign workers in general among Singaporeans had played a part in contributing to the formation of the insider-outsider dichotomy. Conclusion In conclusion, the increasing number of migrant workers coming into Singapore had created tension between the locals and them. Tension built up could be due to the preconceived idea people have of these workers and hence rejecting them placing their footsteps on Singapore’s landscape or becoming part of their â€Å"space†. This rejection can be seen through the insider-outsider dichotomy as mentioned above. These signs of tension between residents and migrant workers are not only observed in Little India. Places such as Lucky Plaza in Orchard Road and Golden Mile are areas that face similar issues like those in Little India where there is a constant build-up of tension because of the increasing number of migrant workers gathering in these areas. This tension will continue to grow if neither Singaporeans nor migrant workers are willing to change their mindsets. Singaporeans ought to keep an open mind about these migrant workers while the workers become more sensitive to their environment and the feelings of the residents. Singaporeans have to learn to appreciate their existence on Singapore landscapes, the role they play in our society and not judge them based on the work they are involved in. It is the only way to prevent continual build-up of tension as it is an undeniable fact that Singapore needs these workers to sustain its development. Bibliography Berlenger, H., Cameron, S., Mora, C. d. (2012). Place Identity and the experience of Public Space: Revitalisation. Restorativeness, and Transformation. In H. Casakin, F. Bernando, Role of Place Identity in the Perception, Understanding, and Design of Built Environments (pp. 47-91). SAIF Zone, Sharjah, UAE: Bentham Science Publishers. Chang, R. (2014, January 26). Supper Club: Denise Phua: Put ourselves in Little India residents shoes, The Straits Times: SingaPolitics. Retrieved February 11, 2014, from: http://www.singapolitics.sg/supperclub/denise-phua-put-ourselves-little-india-residents-shoes Chang, R., Mokhtar, M., Yong, C. (2013, December 17). Little India Home Away From Home, The Straits Times. Retrieved from http://www.straitstimes.com/the-big-story/case-you-missed-it/story/little-india-home-away-home-20131217 Chang, T. C. (2000). Singapores Little India: A Tourist Attraction as a Contested Landscape, Urban Studies. 37(2), 343-366. Furland, E. B. (2008). The effect of development in Little India and Chinatown, Singapore, from third to first world country. Norwegian University of Technology and Science, Department of Geography. Trondheim. Gan, L. K. (2011, June 20). The New Paper: Little India Residents Woes, AsiaOne News. Retrieved February 9, 2014, from: http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20110620-285089.html. Garcia, J. H. (2012). Open Spaces in Informal Settlements in Bogota, Expressions of Attachment and Identity. In H. Casakin, F. Bernardo, Role of Place Identity in the Perception, Understanding, and Design of Built Environments (pp. 92-106). SAIF Zone, Sharjah, UAE : Bentham Science Publishers . Hage, G. (2006). Insiders and Outsiders. Sociology: place, time and division. Hauge, A. L. (2007, March 1). Identity and place: a critical comparison of three, Architectural Science Review. 2-6. Horodniceanu, O. (n.d). Space, Place, Idenity, Geographical Approaches Lee, K. L. (2013, December 10). Safety of Little India’s residents can be improved, Today Online: Voices. Retrieved February 9, 2014, from: http://www.todayonline.com/voices/safety-little-indias-residents-can-be-improved Mazà ºr, E., Urbà ¡nek, J. (1983). Space in Geography. GeoJournal, 7(2), 139-143. Ministry of Manpower. (2013, June). Foreign Workforce Numbers, Ministy of Manpower. Retrieved February 11, 2014, from: http://www.mom.gov.sg/statistics-publications/others/statistics/Pages/ForeignWorkforceNumbers.aspx#sthash.vIDdObHR.dpbs Monnet, J. (2011). The symbolism of place: a geography of relationships between space, power and identity (Vols. (1278-3366)). Cybergeodo. Relph, E. (1980). Place and Placelessness. London: Pion Limited. Rosanow, G. A. (n.d). Home Away from Home Social Support Network for Migrant Workers , Kitakyushu Forum for Women. Rubdy, R., Mckay, S. L. (2013). Foreign Workers in Singapore: Conflicting discourses, language politics and the negotiation of immigrant identities. De Gruyter Mouton. Seamon, D. (1996). A Singular Impact: Edward Relphs Place and Placelessness. In Environmental and Architectural Phenomenology Newsletter (Vol. 7, pp. 5-8). Selten, M., Zandt, F. v. (2012, September 19). Space vs Place. Human Geography Knowledge Base Retrieved March 3, 2014, from http://geography.ruhosting.nl/geography/index.php?title=Space_vs._place Tuan, Y.-F. (2001). Space and Place: The Perspective Experience. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. Urban Redevelopemnt Authority. (n.d). Conservation-Little India, Urban Redevelopment Authority. Retrieved February 10, 2014, from: http://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/conservation/conservation-xml.aspx?id=LTIN Urban Redevelopment Authority. (1995). Little India- Historic District. Singapore. Vincent, J. A., Shiuan, O. S., Subto, S. F., Manhong, Y., Jing, Y. Y. (2008). The Attitudes of Tertiary Students toward Foreign Construction Workers. Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Wong, S. Y. (n.d). Not such a Little India, Reclaim Land. Retrieved February 9, 2014, from: http://reclaimland.sg/rl/?p=30 Yahoo News: Shopkeepers,residents,visitors responds to Little Indias riot. (2013, December 9). Retrieved from http://sg.news.yahoo.com/singapore-charge-24-indian-workers-rioting-044957734.html Yew, L. (2014). Asianism and the Politics of Regional Consciousness in Singapore. In L. Yew, Asianised Landscapes and the transculturation of Singapore (pp. 174-205). United States of America: Routledge.

Middle Ages :: essays research papers fc

The Christian Crusades Positively Impacted the East and the West Even though countless numbers of people died during the Christian Crusades, there were many positive effects for both the East and the West. After the Crusades halted, various trade routes opened up between Eastern and Western cities. Also, the Muslims developed new military strategies and techniques during the fights with the Europeans, and they united themselves against one cause, producing a stronger religious nation (Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, 1993). Numerous effects of the Christian Crusades in the Middle East had a positive outcome. In John Child's book, The Crusades, he quotes J. Kerr as claiming that the "most obvious result of the crusades" was a growth in "trade with the east". According to a 1996 AP article printed in the Jerusalem Post, the English word "sugar" comes from the Arabic "sukkar", and "scallion" comes from "Ascalon", a Philistine city. Trade extended from England to the Black Sea, going through the ports of Beirut, Acre and Alexandria. After the loss of Acre in 1291, Cyprus, Rhodes and Crete were the three Mediterranean islands that composed some of the main crusader trading centers. From these three islands it was possible to control goods' ships traveling to and from the Middle East (Child, 1994). These trade routes generated a beneficial contact between the cultures of East and West. Many merchants from the cities of Venice and Genoa settled in Cyprus and Crete. From the Muslims these merchants bought spices, sugar, cloth and cotton. Other merchants from Sicily and Aragorn traded for Tunisian gold, and Algerian wool and animal skins. Popular goods traded from the Middle East were sugar, melons, cotton, ultramarine dye and damask cloth. Although the Pope tried to stop merchants from trading with the Muslims, he had to repeal his embargo in 1344. Though most of the traded goods came from the Middle East, the com bined efforts from both East and West brought about many inventions, such as windmills, compasses, gunpowder and clocks. Figure 1 This trade between East and West caused prosperity among the people. Child states in his book that the merchants made "a lot of money" out of the trade with the Muslim people. After the Crusades had terminated, these merchants were able to prosper from trade between Europe and the Middle East. Outlined in Figure 1 are some trade routes utilized after the Crusades. During the Crusades, the Muslims used weaponry that the Franks were not familiar with.

Hackers Good or Evil :: Essays Papers

Hackers Good or Evil Imagine this, you are driving along the road and suddenly you see something spectacular. Now imagine that you are not allowed to deviate from your course to check it out. This is what a so-called â€Å"hacker† faces. Just imagine that you saw an injured person on the side of the road. In this analogy you are not allowed to help the injured person. A hacker is not allowed to explore like everyone else in the world. A hacker is not allowed to help fix potential security holes. The term hacker can have many meanings. The most visible to the public is the person pirating software, and breaking into corporate networks and destroying information. This is the public misconception of a hacker. Back in the Unix days, a hack was simply a quick and dirty way of doing something. Hackers in those days were basically just computer experts. Nowadays hacker means the same thing as a cracker, a person who pirates software, and malicious hackers. The media, of course, never prints the good thin gs hackers do. Most hackers provide a service to companies, by letting the company know about security holes, before a rival exploits it. Most hackers want nothing more than to simply learn. A hacker has an extreme thirst for knowledge, but not in the traditional subjects. Technology, and anything new interest hackers. In fact most security experts start out but learning and â€Å"hacking†. The bad view of hackers is not completely false. There are hackers out there that will do there best to harm any system hey can, but most want nothing more than to find the beauty in system, or network. To hackers vast networks, and the inside of a firewall that was meant to keep them out, are the most beautiful sights on Earth. In every aspect of life there are people who exploit others. Murders, robbers, or any other criminals come from every walk of life. Even hackers have some, but like the general population, it is a small percentage. Most people would call the whole Linux community hackers, because anyone who has the knowledge to run Unix must be a hacker. This show what good hackers can do. The entire Unix GNU community is run by hackers. They all contribute toward a free operating system. They all work out the bugs, and then distribute it for free. Hackers got tired of paying for an OS that did not work well.

The Symbolic Pearl in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

Pearls have always held a great price to mankind, but no pearl had ever been earned at as high a cost to a person as in Hester Prynne, a powerful Heroine in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter. Her daughter Pearl, born into a Puritan prison in more ways than one, is an enigmatic character serving entirely as a vehicle for symbolism. From her introduction as an infant on her mother’s scaffold of shame to the stormy peak of the story, Pearl is an empathetic and intelligent child. Throughout the story she absorbs the hidden emotions of her mother and magnifies them for all to see. Pearl is the essence of literary symbolism. She is, at times, a vehicle for Hawthorne to express the inconsistent and translucent qualities of Hester and Dimmesdale’s unlawful bond, and at other times, a forceful reminder of her mother’s sin. Pearl Prynne is her mother’s most precious possession and her only reason to live, but Pearl also serves as a priceless trea sure purchased with Hester’s life. Pearl’s strange beauty and deeply enigmatic qualities make her the most powerful symbol Hawthorne has ever created. The product of Hester’s sin and agony, Pearl, was a painfully constant reminder of her mother’s violation of the Seventh Commandment: Thou shalt not commit adultery. Hester herself felt that Pearl was given to her not only as a blessing but a punishment worse than death or ignominy. She is tormented by her daughter’s childish teasing and endless questioning about the scarlet letter and its relation to Minister Dimmesdale. After Pearl has created a letter â€Å"A† on her own breast out of seaweed, she asks her mother: But in good earnest, now, mother dear, what does this scarlet letter mean? -- and why dost thou wear it on thy bosom? -- and why does the minister keep his hand over his heart? In saying this Pearl implies that she knows much, much more about the scarlet letter than she lets on. T hroughout the conversation Pearl is impish and teasing, saying one thing and contradicting it soon after. She refuses to say just what she means, which makes it hard for Hester to give a straight answer. Hester is shocked that her playful daughter has lead their conversation to the topic of the scarlet letter, and even more disturbed that she has assumed Hester’s letter and Dimmesdale’s habit of pressing his hand to his heart a branch from the same issue. The Symbolic Pearl in Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays Pearls have always held a great price to mankind, but no pearl had ever been earned at as high a cost to a person as in Hester Prynne, a powerful Heroine in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter. Her daughter Pearl, born into a Puritan prison in more ways than one, is an enigmatic character serving entirely as a vehicle for symbolism. From her introduction as an infant on her mother’s scaffold of shame to the stormy peak of the story, Pearl is an empathetic and intelligent child. Throughout the story she absorbs the hidden emotions of her mother and magnifies them for all to see. Pearl is the essence of literary symbolism. She is, at times, a vehicle for Hawthorne to express the inconsistent and translucent qualities of Hester and Dimmesdale’s unlawful bond, and at other times, a forceful reminder of her mother’s sin. Pearl Prynne is her mother’s most precious possession and her only reason to live, but Pearl also serves as a priceless trea sure purchased with Hester’s life. Pearl’s strange beauty and deeply enigmatic qualities make her the most powerful symbol Hawthorne has ever created. The product of Hester’s sin and agony, Pearl, was a painfully constant reminder of her mother’s violation of the Seventh Commandment: Thou shalt not commit adultery. Hester herself felt that Pearl was given to her not only as a blessing but a punishment worse than death or ignominy. She is tormented by her daughter’s childish teasing and endless questioning about the scarlet letter and its relation to Minister Dimmesdale. After Pearl has created a letter â€Å"A† on her own breast out of seaweed, she asks her mother: But in good earnest, now, mother dear, what does this scarlet letter mean? -- and why dost thou wear it on thy bosom? -- and why does the minister keep his hand over his heart? In saying this Pearl implies that she knows much, much more about the scarlet letter than she lets on. T hroughout the conversation Pearl is impish and teasing, saying one thing and contradicting it soon after. She refuses to say just what she means, which makes it hard for Hester to give a straight answer. Hester is shocked that her playful daughter has lead their conversation to the topic of the scarlet letter, and even more disturbed that she has assumed Hester’s letter and Dimmesdale’s habit of pressing his hand to his heart a branch from the same issue.

Developments in Migration Theory, Feminisation, Diaspora & Transnationalism, and Asylum as a Migration Flow

Abstract This research presents how the push-pull model of migration has been deflated by developments in migration theory.It discusses the concept of feminisation as a major trend in contemporary migration, caused by the dynamics of corporate globalisation. Diaspora and transnationalism are described as ‘two dance partners,’ explaining this metaphor within the prism of migration. Asylum is the chosen migration flow for this research, alongside considerations of how the analysis of global migration and its regulation becomes complicated. This research adopts the qualitative research design, which harmonises with the interpretive paradigm. An in-depth semi-structured interview is conducted with a Sierra Leonean migrant who sought asylum in the UK. The research concludes the presence of feminisation, the partnership of Diaspora and transnationalism, and the irrelevance of the push-pull model in the example of an asylum seeker as an interview participant. 1.Introduction According to de Haas (2008), one’s decision to migrate is influenced by a number of factors, including the area of destination; intervening variables (distance, immigration policies, etc.); and personal factors. Migration occurs within definite streams, from certain places of origin and destination (de Haas, 2008). Globalisation has created a channel for individuals to become increasingly mobile. Coupled with globalisation, the existence of skilled workers has tended to marginalise the less skilled, who encounter limitations on their permanent migration, thereby making it difficult for them to move from temporary to permanent work and obtain residence permits (Kofman, 2005). Emphasis on stratification within labour migration research can potentially tackle queries on the consequences that emerge from the manner of inclusion or exclusion of different groups from labour markets (Gabriel and Pellerin, 2008). The growing social differentiation of migration is seen amongst skilled Mexicans, considered as the new ‘high tech braceros’ (Smith and Favell, 2006: 24) that utilise a variety of visa channels to work in the US economy. Smith and Favell (2006) bring forward the evidence that the migration movement is more than about ‘brain drain’, as brain circulation, which underp ins new forms of global competition, is being encouraged.1.1 Aims and objectivesThis brief aims to discuss how the limitations of the individualistic ‘push-pull’ model are overcome by developments in migration theory. It also explains the reasons for the feminisation trend identified by Castles and Miller (2009). Along with these two topics are the attempt to describe what Faist (2010b) means by the metaphor ‘two awkward dance partners’ to describe Diaspora and transnationalism, and whether he is right. Moreover, this research explains how asylum complicates the analysis of global migration and their regulation. The objectives are the following: To review the extant literature on the developments in migration theory, feminisation in migration, Diaspora and transnationalism, and asylum in the midst of global migration To conduct an interview on the subject of asylum and link it to migration concept 2. Literature Review2. 1 The ‘push-pull’ model of migrationThe push-pull model allows the assumption that migration decisions are motivated by economic, environmental, and demographic reasons. The pushes and pulls in migration are created by either rural population growth or economic conditions. The first applies a Malthusian principle that such migration is due to pressures on natural and agricultural resources. The second, on the other hand, pushes people to be lured into cities and industrialised countries (de Haas, 2008). At first, the push-pull model seems to integrate all the factors that contribute to migration decision-making because of its seeming propensity to incorporate other theoretical ideas. However, dubious insights have come to forward the insight of whether the push-pull model offers much analytical use, and whether it can qualify as a theory at all. A more problematic view is its tendency to puzzle various (individual and global) scales of analysis and not to allow designating relative weights to the various factors impacting migration decisions. The model also tends to overlook the internal stratification and heterogeneous character of societies and is instead likely to work out on the individual level. There are therefore certain limitations posed by the push-pull model in the analysis of migration (de Haas, 2008). The triviality and limitation of the model is mirrored in the relativity of migration pressure. Finding a better environment or less population pressure are not the typical reasons why people move, but due to their expectation of a more satisfying living elsewhere (de Haas, 2008). The transnational approach to migration is one of those that attempt to overcome the limitations embodied in the push-pull model. The transnational community creates social bonds that allow migrants to tend to remit considerable amounts of money to their relatives, contrary to the push-pull model. The often transnational identity characters of migrants provide a huge explanation for the usual maintenance of bonds with communities of origin, as well as the creation of trans-local and transnational social links (de Haas, 2008). In support of de Haas, Amelina and Faist (2012) describe the transnational approach as one that discards the nation-state as the only source of empirical analysis – which is also posited by Faist (2000) and Portes (2000). Methodological transnationalism, which is constructed by Amelina and Faist, covers a range of research methods that complement current epistemological approaches to the link between space and social mobility. Linked to this are migrant’s investments and entrepreneurship (as a way in which they pursue a wide range of transnational economic activities), which is an important concern of policy makers (Olesen, 2003). As migration can be understood through interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary viewpoints, developments in migration theory such as those by Castles and Miller (2009) fully describe this view, which only suggests an attempt to overcome the limitations of the ‘push-pull’ model2.2 Feminisation as a major trend in contemporary migra tionFeminisation as a major trend in contemporary migration is seen in the example of Indonesia and Sri Lanka, which obtained the labour market for domestic workers, thereby spurring the feminisation of migration in the Gulf region. Female migrants are found in such fields as medical/health, sales, hospitality, and maintenance. The largest number of women migrants is in domestic work (Asis, 2005; Mateos, 2005). According to Asis (2005), Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and the Philippines deploy female workers annually at 62-75 per cent; and deployment is associated with feminisation of migration. There are circumstances that feminisation of migration would broaden to include other countries, as illustrated by the example of Thai women migrants who may face underrepresentation in legal migration, but are predominant in terms of irregular migration (Asis, 2005). It may be seen based on Asis’ (2005) discussion that the wider significance of feminisation as a major trend in contemporary migration is driven by labour migration. Piper (2013), on the other hand, surmised that the relevance of gender is found in most aspects of migration. Feminisation has been acknowledged as one of the major issues of current migration streams, as noted by academic studies since the 80s. Piper cited the reason for this: improvement in statistical visibility, increased women participation in most migration flows, increased failure of men to seek full-time jobs in their countries of origin, and an increasing demand for female employment in destination countries. In support to this, Engle (2004) claims that foreign women are tremendously regarded as commodities and carriers of service. If in the past, the movement of women was often due to family reunification or dependent on a male migrant; today, such movement features them as main migrants in their own right, generally as low-wage earners, where the dynamics of corporate globalisation are the ones directing female employment. The wider significance of this feminisation trend for understanding migration is that it plays an important role in the institutionalisation of corporate globalisation in the process of migration, which offers further understanding of migration.2.3 Diaspora and transnationalism as two awkward dance partnersDiaspora and transnationalism are described by Faist (2010b) as ‘two awkward dance partners’ that function as prominent research lenses for seeing the upshot of international migration. Albeit both ‘globalisation’ and ‘multiculturalism’ describe cross-border processes, the concept of Diaspora has often denoted national or religious groupings of people that live outside an imagined native land. Transnationalism, on the other hand, is used narrowly (to describe the strong ties amongst migrants) and widely (to depict communities and social formations) (Faist, 2010b). Why Diaspora and transnationalism are two awkward dance partners is because of the discussion below: Transnational social spaces, which are depicted in transnationalism, describe migrants’ daily practices as they engage in a range of activities, such as reciprocity and unity, political participation in both countries of emigration and immigration, and migrants’ small-scale entrepreneurship, to name some. Transnationalism is not broadly used compared to Diaspora and is not as politicised, but it is entangled with political connotations. Despite the indicated presence of ideology in the ‘ism’ in transnationalism, the adherents of this ideology is not apparent. Moreover, discussions on immigrants’ integration have been sparked by transnationalism ever since transnationalism was introduced to migration studies (Faist, 2010a). It has been made clear that both Diaspora and transnationalism cannot be taken apart in any way since doing so would mean neglecting the panoply of constantly overlapping definitions. Diaspora faced an absolute increase in applications and interpretations and these characteristics sum up most of its definitions. The first pertains to the causes of migration. Forced dispersal has been affixed to the older notions, which can be traced from the experience of Jews. Newer notions, on the other hand, relate to any form of dispersal, such as trade dispersal. The second refers to homeland’s cross-border experiences with destination, as implied in older notions that indicate a revisit to an imagined homeland. Newer notion, on the other hand, replace revisit with dense and continuous connections across borders, which include countries of onward migration, thereby highlighting lateral ties. Thus, Diaspora can be referred to include ethnic and religious groups/communities. Lastly, the th ird characteristic suggests the â€Å"integration of migrants and/or minorities into the countries of settlement† (Faist, 2010b: 13). It may be inferred that based on these discussions, Faist is right in describing Diaspora and transnationalism as awkward dance partners.2.4 The Increasingly Differentiated Migration Flows Focused on AsylumThis section discusses the increasingly differentiated migration flows, focused on asylum migration. According to Lasailly-Jacob (2010), policies on asylum have been the main focus of academic research and public debates. The point of view of the host countries has been given much attention, with particular emphasis on the foresights of the receiving ones who manage the effects of population movements in their country. Doomernik and Jandl (2008) observe that a tough policy on asylum migration has been undertaken to balance global recruitment strategies. Whether a strong asylum policy only intends to mask an increasing volume of immigration is open to interpretation. Published reports indicate refused asylum applications alongside approximately 60,000 deportation targets. The European Union (EU) compromises certain democratic norms in dealing with neighbouring counties like Libya or Ukraine to adopt migration activities. Questions that arise include proper access to asylum, protection from persecution, and detention conditions. Physical safety has been used as a prism for greater cooperation to regulate the flow of asylum seekers across countries. Common legally binding policy – in relation to asylum and policing – has been undertaken (Charmie and Powers, 2008). Both asylum and immigration policies face the issues of visas, family unification, social integration, equal treatment and inclusivity, and admission criteria, to name a few (Peers and Rogers, 2006). 3. Research Methodology3.1 Research Design: QualitativeThe specific research design for this study is qualitative, which is defined as â€Å"multi-method in focus, involving an interpretive, naturalistic approach to its subject matter† (Denzin and Lincoln, 2011: 5). This indicates that qualitative research undertakes investigations in natural settings, whereby people attempt to interpret phenomena based on the meanings brought to them. Some of the empirical materials used in qualitative studies are interviews, case studies, visual texts, and focus groups, to name a few. The justification for using the qualitative design for this research is its direction to present the research questions involving migration, which cannot be adequately discussed if a quantitative or a mixed method design is applied.3.2 Research Paradigm: InterpretiveSince this research pursues the qualitative design, it hence correspondingly employs an interpretive paradigm. This paradigm states that people con tinuously produce social constructions from the world around them. The ultimate purpose of interpretive paradigm is to understand the experiences of people as the study takes place in natural settings (Chilisa and Preece, 2005). On the point of view of interpretivism, knowledge is subjective because of its nature to create social constructions. This is differentiated from the positivist paradigm, which is based on measurement and quantification (Cohen, Manion, and Morrison, 2011).3.3 Data CollectionBoth primary and secondary data collection methods are applied to this research to address the research questions. Primary data are those collected afresh for the specific use of the researcher and are therefore original (Mooi and Sarstedt, 2011). Examples of these are survey data, interview data, observation data, field notes, etc. Secondary data, on the other hand, are those already collected by someone else for their own purpose, which is being used again by another (Kothari, 2004). Ex amples of these are data from books, journal articles, corporate reports, online data, and the like. This current research employs interview data as well as data from books and academic journals. The interview thus conducted is in-depth and semi-structured, involving an asylum seeker from Sierra Leone. 4. Presentation and Analysis of Results According to the interview participant, the civil war in her homeland caused her to come to the UK in 2002. Her purpose of migration was to obtain safety from the war and to have a better chance of good education. This is coherent with the notion of forced dispersal embodying the concept of Diaspora (Faist, 2010a; Faist, 2010b). There was a strong belief from the participant that Britain is more accommodating towards asylum seekers than other countries, as she was reminded that Sierra Leone was once a colony of Britain. The presence of a strong Sierra Leone community in Britain, to which she is able to identify and rely strongly, also served as a reason for her search for asylum in the country. Physical safety is the reason for her search for asylum, which the literature also claims as the prism that precipitates greater cooperation to regulate the flow of asylum seekers (e.g. Charmie and Powers, 2008). Apparently, the push-pull model does not harmonise with the participant’ s situation because of the model’s focus on the individual level and its propensity to overlook the internal stratification and heterogeneous character of societies (e.g. de Haas, 2008). The participant states that despite her strong Sierra Leone culture, there were changes in her priorities along the way. She claims that she goes home every year, communicates with her family via phone or Skype, and sends money to her people. This is congruent with de Haas’ (2008) description of the transnational community. The participant now sees the UK as her home because this is where she lives, works, and pays her taxes. The strong cultural ties and community spirit with her people is seen in the fact that if any Sierra Leonean is in difficulty, she participates (along with the others) in contributing money, buying food, or helping the person to take care of their children if they cannot. It may be suggested that within this community is a form of people’s cooperative union, showing Diaspora that includes ethnic and religious groups/communities as described by Faist (2010b), as well as an â€Å"imagined homeland† (Faist, 2010a). This also demonstrates how m igration systems link people in transnational communities, consequently resulting in a geographical clustering of migration streams (de Haas, 2008), as how the Sierra Leone community (where the participant belongs) is formed. Having lived in the UK for quite a long time, the participant appreciates the idea of the multicultural community, coupled with friends of different nationalities who are generally more accepting. Faist (2010b) calls such integration into the country of settlement ‘Diaspora’. According to the participant, some countries do not apply equal opportunities, fairness, and human rights as they do in the UK. Amongst those she appreciates the most in the UK are free education, respect for human rights, safety and security, a feeling of independence, and economic and political stability. She says that this is unlike the civil war, corruption, and lack of economic growth in Sierra Leone. However, she stresses the importance of having family members around, since being alone can be isolating. Despite having lived in the UK for a long time, she claims that the Sierra Leonean culture has influenced her character more than the British culture. The notion of transnationalism is seen i n this context, specifically transnational social spaces, such as reciprocity and unity in both countries of emigration and immigration (Faist, 2010a). Her country of origin benefits from her living in the UK by working with the Red Cross as a way to give back to the country that rescued her from persecution in her homeland. The war in Sierra Leone created an avenue for her to come to the UK and pursue her goals, including education, which is valued in her family as a means to sustain financial and social statuses. Amelina and Faist (2012) describe this in their ‘methodological transnationalism’ as a development that takes place between space and social mobility. It must be noted that the concept of feminisation (e.g. Piper, 2013; Engle, 2004; Asis, 2005) may also be applied to this example, as the asylum seeker is a woman who was eventually able to integrate to the UK society as a student and a worker. It has been forwarded that the relevance of gender can be seen in most aspects of migration (including asylum) (Piper, 2013), to which the participant’s situation is applicable. 3. Evaluation and Conclusion 3.1 Evaluation The participant in the study demonstrates the irrelevance of the push-pull model of migration to the stream of migration. Rather, the transnational approach reveals a more applicable position to the situation, as shown by the social bonds thus created amongst Sierra Leoneans and with other UK residents, and the tendency of the participant to remit some money to her family and friends way back in her country (e.g. de Haas, 2008; Amelina and Faist, 2012). Albeit faminisation is not the major issue in the interview, it can be surmised that its essence is nonetheless existent since the asylum seeker eventually became a worker in the UK, and her deployment may be associated with feminisation of migration (Asis, 2005). Diaspora is evident in the groups of Sierra Leonean people who live outside an imagined native land (e.g. Faist, 2010b). Transnationalism, on the other hand, is seen in the description of the migrants’ strong ties and social formations (e.g. Faist, 2010a; Faist, 2010b). Thus, the partnership between Diaspora and transnationalism is relevant to the migrant as an asylum seeker. Moreover, regulation processes create and mould migration flows, which are involved in labour market segmentation insofar as polices are supported by gendered and classed postulations. Legal channels are concluded to have opened up due to the upsurge of irregular migration, including asylum. 3.2 ConclusionThis research deals with the developments in migration theory and how these developments addressed the limitations of the push-pull model. It explains feminisation as a major trend in contemporary migration, as well as the metaphor that Diaspora and transnationalism are ‘two awkward dance partners’. Further, it focuses on asylum and how it complicates the analysis of global migration and their regulation. Developments in migration theory have caused an attempt for the surmounting of the limitations of the ‘push-pull’ model, an individual choice and equilibrium model. The relativity of migration pressure shows the triviality of the model. The transnational approach deals with this triviality and limitations, whereby it rejects the nation-state as the sole basis of empirical analysis. Feminisation, on the other hand, is seen as a major trend in contemporary migration, as evidenced by the proliferation of women workers in the fields of medical/health, sales, hospitality, and maintenance. Labour migration drives the occurrence of feminisation as a major trend in contemporary migration. Gendered norms also mediate the way migrants perform their roles in the migration process. There are prevailing stereotyped assumptions amongst labour recruiters set at the heart of the feminisation of migration, offering both demand and opportunities for female workers. Through migration systems, people, families and communities are linked in transnational communities, and it consequently leads to an orderly geographical arrangement and clustering of migration streams, just as the participant in the study seems to depict. The concept of Diaspora denotes national or religious groupings of people that live outside an imagined native land. Transnationalism is used to explain the strong ties that prevail amongst migrants as well as to describe communities and social formations. A balance between tough policy on asylum migration and global recruitment processes has been established in migration process. Physical safety has been the precipitating prism for regulating the stream of asylum seekers across countries, which is the same reason for asylum seeking by the participant in the study. Bibliography Amelina, A. and Faist, T. (2012) De-naturalizing the National in Research Methodologies: Key Concepts of Transnational Studies in Migration. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 35 (10): 1707-1724. Asis, M. M. B. (2005) Recent Trends in International Migration in Asia and the Pacific. Asia Pacific Population Journal, 20 (3): 15-38. Castle, S & Miller, R. (2009) The Age of Migration: International Population Movements in the Modern World. Fourth Edition. New York: Macmillan. Charmie, J. and Powers, M. G. (2008) International Migration and Development: Continuing the Dialogue: Legal and Policy Perspectives. Geneva: International Organization for Migration. Chilisa, B. and Preece, J. (2005) Research Methods for Adult Educators in Africa. NY: Pearson Education. Cohen, L., Manion, L., and Morrison, K. (2011) Research Methods in Education. Seventh Edition. Oxon: Routledge. de Haas, H. (2008) Migration and Development: A Theoretical Perspective. Paper 9. Working Papers. Oxford: International Migration Institute, James 21st Century School, University of Oxford. Denzin, N. K. and Lincoln, Y. S. (2011) The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research. London: SAGE Publications, Inc. Doomernik, J. and Jandl, M. (2008) Modes of Migration Regulation and Control in Europe. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. Engle, L. B. (2004) The World in Motion: Short Essays on Migration and Gender. Geneva: International Organization for Migration. Faist, T. (2000a) The Volume and Dynamics of International Migration and Transnational Social Spaces. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Faist, T. (2010b) Diaspora and transnationalism: What kind of dance partnersR. Baubock & T. Faist (Eds.) Diaspora and Transnationalism: Concepts, Theories and Methods (pp. 9-34). Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. Gabriel, C. and Pellerin, H. (2008) Governing International Labour Migration: Current Issues, Challenges and Dilemmas. Oxon: Routledge. Kofman, E. (2005) Citizenship, Migration, and the Reassertion of National Identity. Citizenship Studies, 9 (5): 453-467. Kothari, C. R. (2004) Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques. Second Edition. Delhi: New Age International. Lasailly-Jacob, V. (2010) â€Å"Forced migration in Africa: A new but overlooked category of refugees†. In C. Audebert and M. K. Morai (Eds.) Migration in a Globalised World: New Research Issues and Prospects. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. Mateos, N. R. (2005) The Mediterranean in the Age of Globalization: Migration, Welfare, and Borders. NJ: Transaction Publishers. Mooi, E. and Sarstedt, M. (2011) A Concise Guide to Market Research: The Process, Data, and Methods Using IBM SPSS Statistics. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. Olesen, H. (2003) ‘Migration, Return, and Development: An Institutional Perspective’. In N. V. Hear and N. N. Sorensen (Eds.) Geneva: The Migration Development Nexus. Peers, S. and Rogers, N. (2006) EU Immigration and Asylum Law: Text and Commentary. The Netherlands: Konikliije Brill NV, Leiden. Piper, N. (2013) New Perspectives on Gender and Migration: Livelihood, Rights and Entitlements. United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. Oxon: Routledge. Portes, A. (2000) ‘Globalization from below: The rise of transnational communities. In D. Kalb et al. (Eds.). The End of Globalization: Bringing Society Back in. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, p. 253-270. Smith, M. P. and Favell, A. (2006) The Human Face of Mobile Mobility: International Highly Skilled Migration in Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers.

Marketing Project

The bookstore's website can be found at http://shop. Bookstore. NCSC. Du/. The online bookstore sells the same apparel found in the bookstore and offers delivery or pickup services for its products. The Go Pack online store can be found at http://kopeck. Escapologist. Com/store. CFML? Store_id=465. The Go Pack online store sells the same apparel found in the store and offers delivery services as well. Market Areas Sells To NC State basketball sells to several markets and attempts to segment their marketing.The organization concentrates its' marketing locally in the Triangle. The total market area include: The Triangle of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill The Western region of North Carolina The Coastal region Of North Carolina The Piedmont region of North Carolina Major North Carolina cities such as Charlotte and Greensboro The teams' television broadcasts from the AC Network can be seen regionally across in the East Coast, in states that feature an AC school (North Carolina, South Car olina, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, etc. ) The team has over 50 radio affiliates in the state of North Carolina.All major North Carolina cities have an NC State radio affiliate, including Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Greensboro, Asheville, Winston-Salem and the Outer Banks area. Product/Service Being Marketed Description of Product/service The main product being marketed is tickets to NC State basketball home games. Ticket packages available to fans include: Full season tickets Lifetime seats Ledge Lounge Private Suites Champion's Club Individual game tickets Group tickets (1 5+ people) Features and Capabilities The main focus of the product is the play that occurs during the game.The entertainment at a game include: On-court performance by the team. Halftime and timeout performances by various entertainment groups. Games n the video board, such as the â€Å"Kiss Cam†. Interaction on the concourse with other fans. Food and beverage needs provided by the concession stands or ven dors. Full season ticket plans include tickets to each NC State home game, often at a cheaper price than just buying individual tickets for each game. Season ticket holders may also be eligible for special deals on the AC Tournament or NCAA Tournament tickets.Season ticket holders are automatically entered into a drawing in September in which they are eligible for prizes such as gift cards, autographed memorabilia and AC Tournament tickets. NC State offers incentives to other potential customers as well: Group tickets can be purchased at a discount off box office prices, as well as arranged seating in the same section and group recognition on the scoreboard. Other promotions for individual tickets, such as special â€Å"Black Friday' offers, vary each season. Product/Service Life Cycle The life cycle is roughly 5-6 months per year.The regular season lasts from November-March and the conference and postseason tournaments such as the NCAA Tournament and National Invitation Tournament (NIT) can extend into late March-early April. Market of Product/Service Customers for Product/Service The primary customers are the fans: Dedicated basketball fans who follow the team game to game and frequently attend games. Interested fans who follow the team during the course of the season and often attend games. Fans who are aware of the team and will occasionally attend games. Fans who follow the team, but only watch the television broadcasts of the games and rarely attend games.Fans who are aware of the team and are interested in attending games. People who are not familiar with basketball but are aware of the NC State basketball team. For racketing tickets, the team first focuses on season ticket packages, which are marketed to: Families Individuals For individual games, the organization segments the market into: Small businesses Families College students Young adults Why Product/Service Needed The NC State basketball team is a member of the famous â€Å"Tobacco Road† , a place famous for its rich tradition in basketball.With the state of North Carolina itself having a large history in the sport, basketball is a traditional pastime for the locals, who usually become fans of the respective local teams. NC State itself has an outstanding tradition in basketball, as a founding ember Of the AC and holds two national titles. The school's background in the sport provides great pride for NC State students, fans and alumni of the university and also creates a demand for basketball tickets and apparel. NC State men's basketball functions as one of two â€Å"revenue sports† at the university (the other being football).This means that the team helps the athletic department produce a profit and provide funding for smaller â€Å"non- revenue† sports, such as tennis, volleyball, soccer, etc. NC State also participates with several charitable organizations, and they focus their efforts n four core areas: Fighting cancer Fighting hunger Supporting education Why Product/Service Needed (Cone. ) Military appreciation How product/Service Used Fans present their tickets to the ticket scanner when they enter PAN Arena and make their way to their seat to enjoy the game. College basketball games are two halves long, with each half lasting twenty minutes.If the game is tied after two halves, the game enters overtime, in which the teams engage in a brief, five minute period to see who scores more points. The teams continue overtime possessions until one team outscores the other. Other entertainment is provided during timeouts, thanks to performances by the NC State pep band, dance team and cheerleaders. Halftime performances vary throughout the year, but are also provided for games. Fans can watch games on multiple high-definition television channels. Channels include ESP., ASPEN, JSPELL, and the AC Digital Network Local fans can listen to NC State basketball on the radio at 101. *Channels vary outside of the Triangle area. A full list of radio channel affiliates for various cities and towns can be found here: http://www. kopeck. Com/multimedia/football-radio-affiliates. HTML When Product/Service Bought Tickets to games can be purchased prior to and throughout the college basketball season. NC State provides 4,500 tickets for its student body. Students are not charged for tickets, but must have a valid student ID with their ticket in order to enter PAN Arena. For individual games: Tickets are on sale from early September until early March.Also dependent on if the Halfback makes a postseason tournament (NCAA or NIT). For season tickets: Season tickets must be purchased before September 15. There is no deadline to be entered into the random drawings for prizes, revived you purchase them before the September 15 deadline. If you are unable to attend a game for which you have season tickets for, NC State will allow you to transfer these tickets online to your family and friends for them to use. For group tickets: Grou p ticket packages are available for companies, school, team or any other kind of group of 15 or more people.Group ticket packages include: Discount off box office ticket prices (for select games). Block of seating in the same section (based on availability). Group recognition on the scoreboard (Optional). When Product/Service Bought (Cone. ) Customized flyers for promotion of your group outing (Optional). No individual ticket surcharge. For NCAA tournament tickets: NCAA ticket applications are first distributed to Halfback Club members Applications must be submitted by March 5 Halfback Club members have first priority on NCAA tickets, followed by the general public.Quantity limits on tickets vary based on location of sites and the current â€Å"round† Of the tournament the team is playing in (Regional, Final Four, etc. ). Product/Service position Competitors Offering Products/Services The NC State Halfback are one of four major NCAA basketball teams in the Tobacco Road† area. Duke University (Durham), Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem) and University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill are the other three. Duke and UNC-CHI are located with NC State in the Triangle area. There is also competition with three professional sport franchises who operate during NC State's basketball season.Carolina Panthers (NFG), Carolina Hurricanes (NIL) and Charlotte Bobcats (NAB) Competing Products/Services Features/Capabilities College basketball: Duke University 4 National Championships University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill 5 National Championships Wake Forest University Final Four Appearance Professional Football: Carolina Panthers 5 NFG playoff appearances 1 Super Bowl Appearance Professional basketball: Charlotte Bobcats 1 NAB playoff appearance Professional ice hockey: Carolina Hurricanes 1 Stanley Cup Championship How Competing Products/Services Different NC State has one of the largest arenas in the country for college basketball, seating 19,772 fans. PAN Ar ena also holds the record the loudest noise record for an indoor sporting event. NC State is the only college basketball team in the Triangle region that shares its arena with a professional sports team Nil's Carolina Hurricanes), making it a more attractive and modern stadium experience.Competing Products/Services Evaluations The AC is one of the nation's most well known conferences in NCAA college basketball, which means we will see several highly ranked teams playing against NC State at PAN Arena. Attending a NC State basketball game IS usually less time-consuming than attending an NFG or NIL game. PAN Arena offers a wide variety of food and beverages that can be found on the concourse. There are 3,800 parking spots at PAN Arena and nearby Carter- Finley Stadium. The parking lot opens two and half-hours prior to the start of he game as well, making parking hassle free for the most part. Compared to individual and season tickets at Duke and UNC-CHI, NC State is much more affordabl e. All Products/Seen. Ices Market Share The NC State Halfback are one of three â€Å"major† NCAA schools in the Triangle area. The next closest major team outside of the Triangle is Wake Forest, which is 104 miles away. The closest professional basketball (NAB) team is the Charlotte Bobcats, who are 164 miles away. Product/Service Marketing Channels Current Product/Service Ma reeking Channels The main marketing channels used by NC State basketball include: Television AC Digital Network WRAP Internet http://www. kopeck. Com/sports/m-bask/NCSC-m-bask-body. HTML Social Media Twitter Faceable Youth anagram Radio Billboards Online editions of the newspaper: www. Newsreader. Mom Competitor(s) Marketing Channels The main marketing tools used by the competitors of NC State basketball include: Television Social Media Magazines Newspapers (Print and Online) Venue Sponsorship Advantages/Disadvantages of Current Channels Advantages The internet is the best source for tracking the return on investment (ROI) Fans can watch highlights of the team on http://win. Pack. Com/sports/m- bask/NCSC-m-bask;body. HTML or on the team's Youth channel at HTTPS:// www. Youth. Com/channel/Soulfully-XpsnNfb2MU31UQ. Fans can visit the team website to learn about a vast amount Of information regarding the team. Fans can also purchase tickets online to see upcoming games..Television raises awareness of the team and allows fans to watch the team from their homes. All of NC State's games were aired on television this past season, including a visit from Aspen's College Someday for the UNC-CHI game. Advantages/Disadvantages of Current Channels (Cone. ) Television coverage usually includes a prename, halftime and postages show. Social media allows the coaches and players to interact with fans. Allows coaches and players to talk â€Å"with fans† instead of â€Å"at them†. Fans feel more emotionally invested with the team thanks to this personal interaction. Radio allows fans to follow games if they can't watch it on television.All basketball games are aired on radio thanks to current contract. Includes a prename and postages show. Fans can call in and ask questions/make comments about team during postages show. Billboards raise awareness of the team, make the basketball rand more recognizable. The online edition of the newspaper can be updated to show current news and final scores. Disadvantages It is difficult to quantify the ROI from television and radio. NC State basketball is not always televised on ESP. and as a result, does not receive as much exposure as larger markets. Billboards may not be as effective in the current technological age. Social media is usually used by the most dedicated fans.Players may come under criticism for making unprofessional remarks The program may alienate fans by ignoring questions on social media Those who only use the hardcopy of the newspaper will miss the most recent team news. Marketing Project The bookstore's website can be found at http://shop. Bookstore. NCSC. Du/. The online bookstore sells the same apparel found in the bookstore and offers delivery or pickup services for its products. The Go Pack online store can be found at http://kopeck. Escapologist. Com/store. CFML? Store_id=465. The Go Pack online store sells the same apparel found in the store and offers delivery services as well. Market Areas Sells To NC State basketball sells to several markets and attempts to segment their marketing.The organization concentrates its' marketing locally in the Triangle. The total market area include: The Triangle of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill The Western region of North Carolina The Coastal region Of North Carolina The Piedmont region of North Carolina Major North Carolina cities such as Charlotte and Greensboro The teams' television broadcasts from the AC Network can be seen regionally across in the East Coast, in states that feature an AC school (North Carolina, South Car olina, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, etc. ) The team has over 50 radio affiliates in the state of North Carolina.All major North Carolina cities have an NC State radio affiliate, including Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, Greensboro, Asheville, Winston-Salem and the Outer Banks area. Product/Service Being Marketed Description of Product/service The main product being marketed is tickets to NC State basketball home games. Ticket packages available to fans include: Full season tickets Lifetime seats Ledge Lounge Private Suites Champion's Club Individual game tickets Group tickets (1 5+ people) Features and Capabilities The main focus of the product is the play that occurs during the game.The entertainment at a game include: On-court performance by the team. Halftime and timeout performances by various entertainment groups. Games n the video board, such as the â€Å"Kiss Cam†. Interaction on the concourse with other fans. Food and beverage needs provided by the concession stands or ven dors. Full season ticket plans include tickets to each NC State home game, often at a cheaper price than just buying individual tickets for each game. Season ticket holders may also be eligible for special deals on the AC Tournament or NCAA Tournament tickets.Season ticket holders are automatically entered into a drawing in September in which they are eligible for prizes such as gift cards, autographed memorabilia and AC Tournament tickets. NC State offers incentives to other potential customers as well: Group tickets can be purchased at a discount off box office prices, as well as arranged seating in the same section and group recognition on the scoreboard. Other promotions for individual tickets, such as special â€Å"Black Friday' offers, vary each season. Product/Service Life Cycle The life cycle is roughly 5-6 months per year.The regular season lasts from November-March and the conference and postseason tournaments such as the NCAA Tournament and National Invitation Tournament (NIT) can extend into late March-early April. Market of Product/Service Customers for Product/Service The primary customers are the fans: Dedicated basketball fans who follow the team game to game and frequently attend games. Interested fans who follow the team during the course of the season and often attend games. Fans who are aware of the team and will occasionally attend games. Fans who follow the team, but only watch the television broadcasts of the games and rarely attend games.Fans who are aware of the team and are interested in attending games. People who are not familiar with basketball but are aware of the NC State basketball team. For racketing tickets, the team first focuses on season ticket packages, which are marketed to: Families Individuals For individual games, the organization segments the market into: Small businesses Families College students Young adults Why Product/Service Needed The NC State basketball team is a member of the famous â€Å"Tobacco Road† , a place famous for its rich tradition in basketball.With the state of North Carolina itself having a large history in the sport, basketball is a traditional pastime for the locals, who usually become fans of the respective local teams. NC State itself has an outstanding tradition in basketball, as a founding ember Of the AC and holds two national titles. The school's background in the sport provides great pride for NC State students, fans and alumni of the university and also creates a demand for basketball tickets and apparel. NC State men's basketball functions as one of two â€Å"revenue sports† at the university (the other being football).This means that the team helps the athletic department produce a profit and provide funding for smaller â€Å"non- revenue† sports, such as tennis, volleyball, soccer, etc. NC State also participates with several charitable organizations, and they focus their efforts n four core areas: Fighting cancer Fighting hunger Supporting education Why Product/Service Needed (Cone. ) Military appreciation How product/Service Used Fans present their tickets to the ticket scanner when they enter PAN Arena and make their way to their seat to enjoy the game. College basketball games are two halves long, with each half lasting twenty minutes.If the game is tied after two halves, the game enters overtime, in which the teams engage in a brief, five minute period to see who scores more points. The teams continue overtime possessions until one team outscores the other. Other entertainment is provided during timeouts, thanks to performances by the NC State pep band, dance team and cheerleaders. Halftime performances vary throughout the year, but are also provided for games. Fans can watch games on multiple high-definition television channels. Channels include ESP., ASPEN, JSPELL, and the AC Digital Network Local fans can listen to NC State basketball on the radio at 101. *Channels vary outside of the Triangle area. A full list of radio channel affiliates for various cities and towns can be found here: http://www. kopeck. Com/multimedia/football-radio-affiliates. HTML When Product/Service Bought Tickets to games can be purchased prior to and throughout the college basketball season. NC State provides 4,500 tickets for its student body. Students are not charged for tickets, but must have a valid student ID with their ticket in order to enter PAN Arena. For individual games: Tickets are on sale from early September until early March.Also dependent on if the Halfback makes a postseason tournament (NCAA or NIT). For season tickets: Season tickets must be purchased before September 15. There is no deadline to be entered into the random drawings for prizes, revived you purchase them before the September 15 deadline. If you are unable to attend a game for which you have season tickets for, NC State will allow you to transfer these tickets online to your family and friends for them to use. For group tickets: Grou p ticket packages are available for companies, school, team or any other kind of group of 15 or more people.Group ticket packages include: Discount off box office ticket prices (for select games). Block of seating in the same section (based on availability). Group recognition on the scoreboard (Optional). When Product/Service Bought (Cone. ) Customized flyers for promotion of your group outing (Optional). No individual ticket surcharge. For NCAA tournament tickets: NCAA ticket applications are first distributed to Halfback Club members Applications must be submitted by March 5 Halfback Club members have first priority on NCAA tickets, followed by the general public.Quantity limits on tickets vary based on location of sites and the current â€Å"round† Of the tournament the team is playing in (Regional, Final Four, etc. ). Product/Service position Competitors Offering Products/Services The NC State Halfback are one of four major NCAA basketball teams in the Tobacco Road† area. Duke University (Durham), Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem) and University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill are the other three. Duke and UNC-CHI are located with NC State in the Triangle area. There is also competition with three professional sport franchises who operate during NC State's basketball season.Carolina Panthers (NFG), Carolina Hurricanes (NIL) and Charlotte Bobcats (NAB) Competing Products/Services Features/Capabilities College basketball: Duke University 4 National Championships University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill 5 National Championships Wake Forest University Final Four Appearance Professional Football: Carolina Panthers 5 NFG playoff appearances 1 Super Bowl Appearance Professional basketball: Charlotte Bobcats 1 NAB playoff appearance Professional ice hockey: Carolina Hurricanes 1 Stanley Cup Championship How Competing Products/Services Different NC State has one of the largest arenas in the country for college basketball, seating 19,772 fans. PAN Ar ena also holds the record the loudest noise record for an indoor sporting event. NC State is the only college basketball team in the Triangle region that shares its arena with a professional sports team Nil's Carolina Hurricanes), making it a more attractive and modern stadium experience.Competing Products/Services Evaluations The AC is one of the nation's most well known conferences in NCAA college basketball, which means we will see several highly ranked teams playing against NC State at PAN Arena. Attending a NC State basketball game IS usually less time-consuming than attending an NFG or NIL game. PAN Arena offers a wide variety of food and beverages that can be found on the concourse. There are 3,800 parking spots at PAN Arena and nearby Carter- Finley Stadium. The parking lot opens two and half-hours prior to the start of he game as well, making parking hassle free for the most part. Compared to individual and season tickets at Duke and UNC-CHI, NC State is much more affordabl e. All Products/Seen. Ices Market Share The NC State Halfback are one of three â€Å"major† NCAA schools in the Triangle area. The next closest major team outside of the Triangle is Wake Forest, which is 104 miles away. The closest professional basketball (NAB) team is the Charlotte Bobcats, who are 164 miles away. Product/Service Marketing Channels Current Product/Service Ma reeking Channels The main marketing channels used by NC State basketball include: Television AC Digital Network WRAP Internet http://www. kopeck. Com/sports/m-bask/NCSC-m-bask-body. HTML Social Media Twitter Faceable Youth anagram Radio Billboards Online editions of the newspaper: www. Newsreader. Mom Competitor(s) Marketing Channels The main marketing tools used by the competitors of NC State basketball include: Television Social Media Magazines Newspapers (Print and Online) Venue Sponsorship Advantages/Disadvantages of Current Channels Advantages The internet is the best source for tracking the return on investment (ROI) Fans can watch highlights of the team on http://win. Pack. Com/sports/m- bask/NCSC-m-bask;body. HTML or on the team's Youth channel at HTTPS:// www. Youth. Com/channel/Soulfully-XpsnNfb2MU31UQ. Fans can visit the team website to learn about a vast amount Of information regarding the team. Fans can also purchase tickets online to see upcoming games..Television raises awareness of the team and allows fans to watch the team from their homes. All of NC State's games were aired on television this past season, including a visit from Aspen's College Someday for the UNC-CHI game. Advantages/Disadvantages of Current Channels (Cone. ) Television coverage usually includes a prename, halftime and postages show. Social media allows the coaches and players to interact with fans. Allows coaches and players to talk â€Å"with fans† instead of â€Å"at them†. Fans feel more emotionally invested with the team thanks to this personal interaction. Radio allows fans to follow games if they can't watch it on television.All basketball games are aired on radio thanks to current contract. Includes a prename and postages show. Fans can call in and ask questions/make comments about team during postages show. Billboards raise awareness of the team, make the basketball rand more recognizable. The online edition of the newspaper can be updated to show current news and final scores. Disadvantages It is difficult to quantify the ROI from television and radio. NC State basketball is not always televised on ESP. and as a result, does not receive as much exposure as larger markets. Billboards may not be as effective in the current technological age. Social media is usually used by the most dedicated fans.Players may come under criticism for making unprofessional remarks The program may alienate fans by ignoring questions on social media Those who only use the hardcopy of the newspaper will miss the most recent team news.