Sunday, November 24, 2019

Nathan Bedford Forrest in the Civil War

Nathan Bedford Forrest in the Civil War Nathan Bedford Forrest - Early Life: Born July 13, 1821 in Chapel Hill, TN, Nathan Bedford Forrest was the eldest child (of twelve) of William and Miriam Forrest. A blacksmith, William died of scarlet fever when his son was only seventeen.   The illness also claimed Forrests twin sister, Fanny. Needing to make money to support his mother and siblings, Forrest went into business with his uncle, Jonathan Forrest, in 1841. Operating in Hernando, MS, this enterprise proved short-lived as Jonathan was killed in a dispute four years later. Though somewhat lacking in formal education, Forrest proved a skilled businessman and by the 1850s had worked as a steamboat captain and slave trader before buying multiple cotton plantations in western Tennessee. Nathan Bedford Forrest - Joining the Military: Having amassed a large fortune, Forrest was elected an alderman in Memphis in 1858 and provided financial support for his mother as well as paid for his brothers college educations.   One of the richest men in the South when the Civil War began in April 1861, he enlisted as a private in the Confederate Army and he was assigned to Company E of the Tennessee Mounted Rifles in July 1861 along with his youngest brother. Shocked by the units lack of equipment, he volunteered to buy horses and gear for an entire regiment out of his personal funds. Responding to this offer, Governor Isham G. Harris, who was surprised that someone of Forrests means had enlisted as a private, directed him to raise a battalion of mounted troops and assume the rank of lieutenant colonel. Nathan Bedford Forrest - Rising Through the Ranks: Though lacking any formal military training, Forrest proved a gifted trainer and leader of men. This battalion soon grew into a regiment that fall. In February, Forrests command operated in support of Brigadier General John B. Floyds garrison at Fort Donelson, TN. Driven back to the fort by Union forces under Major General Ulysses S. Grant, Forrest and his men took part in the Battle of Fort Donelson. With the forts defenses near collapse, Forrest led the bulk of his command and other troops in a successful escape attempt which saw them wade through the Cumberland River to avoid the Union lines. Now a colonel, Forrest raced to Nashville where he aided in evacuating industrial equipment before the city fell to Union forces. Returning to action in April, Forrest operated with Generals Albert Sidney Johnston and P.G.T. Beauregard during the Battle of Shiloh. In the wake of the Confederate defeat, Forrest provided a rear guard during the armys retreat and was wounded at Fallen Timbers on April 8. Recovering, he received command a newly-recruited cavalry brigade. Working to train his men, Forrest raided into central Tennessee in July and defeated a Union force Murfreesboro. On July 21, Forrest was promoted to brigadier general. Having fully trained his men, he was angered in December when the Army of Tennessees commander, General Braxton Bragg, reassigned him to another brigade of raw troops. Though his men were ill-equipped and green, Forrest was ordered to conduct a raid into Tennessee by Bragg. Though believing the mission to be ill-advised under the circumstances, Forrest conducted a brilliant campaign of maneuver which disrupted Union operations in the area, secured captured weapons for his men, and delayed Grants Vicksburg Campaign. Nathan Bedford Forrest - Nearly Unbeatable: After spending the early part of 1863 conducting smaller operations, Forrest was ordered into northern Alabama and Georgia to intercept a larger Union mounted force led by Colonel Abel Streight. Locating the enemy, Forrest attacked Streight at Days Gap, AL on April 30. Though held, Forrest pursued the Union troops for several days until forcing their surrender near Cedar Bluff on May 3. Rejoining Braggs Army of Tennessee, Forrest took part in the Confederate victory at the Battle of Chickamauga in September. In the hours after the victory, he unsuccessfully appealed for Bragg to follow up with a march on Chattanooga. Though he verbally assaulted Bragg after the commanders refusal to pursue Major General William Rosecrans beaten army, Forrest was ordered to assume an independent command in Mississippi and received a promotion to major general on December 4. Raiding north in the spring of 1864, Forrests command attacked Fort Pillow in Tennessee on April 12. Largely garrisoned by African-American troops, the assault degenerated into a massacre with Confederate forces cutting down the black soldiers despite efforts to surrender. Forrests role in the massacre and whether it was premeditated remains a source of controversy. Returning to action, Forrest won his greatest victory on June 10 when he defeated Brigadier General Samuel Sturgis at the Battle of Brices Crossroads. Despite being severely outnumbered, Forrest utilized a superb mix of maneuver, aggression, and terrain to maul Sturgis command and capture around 1,500 prisoners and a large quantity of arms in the process. The triumph threatened Union supply lines which were supporting Major General William T. Shermans advance against Atlanta. As a result, Sherman dispatched a force under Major General A.J. Smith to deal with Forrest. Pushing into Mississippi, Smith succeeded in defeating Forrest and Lieutenant General Stephen Lee at the Battle of Tupelo in mid-July. Despite the defeat, Forrest continued to mount devastating raids into Tennessee including attacks on Memphis in August and Johnsonville in October. Again ordered to join the Army of Tennessee, now led by General John Bell Hood, Forrests command provided cavalry forces for the advance against Nashville. On November 30, he violently clashed with Hood after being refused permission to cross the Harpeth River and cut off the Union line of retreat before the Battle of Franklin. Nathan Bedford Forrest - Final Actions: As Hood shattered his army in frontal assaults against the Union position, Forrest did push across the river in an attempt to turn the Union left, but was beaten by Union cavalry led by Major General James H. Wilson. As Hood advanced towards Nashville, Forrests men were detached to raid the Murfreesboro area. Rejoining, on December 18, Forrest ably covered the Confederate retreat after Hood was crushed at the Battle of Nashville. For his performance, he was promoted to lieutenant general on February 28, 1865. With Hoods defeat, Forrest was effectively left to defend northern Mississippi and Alabama. Though badly outnumbered, he opposed Wilsons raid into the region in March. In the course of the campaign, Forrest was badly beaten at Selma on April 2. With Union forces overrunning the area, Forrests department commander, Lieutenant General Richard Taylor, elected to surrender on May 8. Surrendering at Gainesville, AL, Forrest gave a farewell address to his men the following day. Nathan Bedford Forrest - Later Life: Returning to Memphis after the war, Forrest sought to rebuild his ruined fortune. Selling his plantations in 1867, he also became an early leader of the Ku Klux Clan. Believing the organization to be a patriotic group dedicated to repressing African-Americans and opposing Reconstruction, he aided in its activities. As KKKs activities became increasingly violent and uncontrolled, he ordered the group to disband and departed in 1869. In the postwar years, Forrest found employment with the Selma, Marion, and Memphis Railroad and ultimately became the companys president. Hurt by the Panic of 1873, Forrest spent his last years running a prison work farm on Presidents Island near Memphis. Forrest died on October 29, 1877, most likely from diabetes. Initially buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis, his remains were moved in 1904 to a Memphis park named in his honor. Highly respected by opponents such as Grant and Sherman, Forrest was known for his use of maneuver warfare and is often erroneously quoted as stating his philosophy was to git thar fustest with the mostest. In the years after the war, key Confederate leaders such Jefferson Davis and General Robert E. Lee both expressed regret that Forrests skills had not been used to greater advantage. Selected Sources NNDB: Nathan Bedford ForrestCivil War: Nathan Bedford Forrest Nathan Bedford Forrest Biography

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Strategic Managment - Corporate Governance Essay

Strategic Managment - Corporate Governance - Essay Example Individual commitment to ethics is as much required as the a strong performance on the bourse. Corporate Governance gives companies the basic framework to establish the rules of the game within. On one hand, the companies deal with measurable and quantifiable assets like finances and accounts. On the other are its deep rooted social and environmental commitments to the buyers, suppliers, and the community it works in. Corporate Social Responsibility is that aspect of Corporate Governance that ensures that a company fulfills its social and obligations besides increasing its profits. In fact, the financial performance of a company, to a great measure rests on the confidence it places in its employees with welfare concepts, ethical trade practices, protecting human values and respect for the environment. We will carry out a discussion into the Corporate Social Responsibility practiced by the UK retail major Marks and Spencer. We will first define corporate governance, then study the Code of Corporate Governance of UK and study its implementation as for as the clause of Corporate Social Responsibility is concerned. Corporate Governance is the system by which companies are directed and controlled. It provides architecture of accountability (Higgs, 2003).In other words, Corporate Governance is the principles on which a company is controlled, run and operated. . Corporate Governance requires of the Board to instil and maintain confidence in its shareholders by maintaining through transparency and informed of its decisions. Corporate governance is the accountability of a company, its board for protection of the investors’ money. Often in the past the Boards of companies did not behave responsibly resulting in loss of investor’s money and the confidence. The laws in UK were severely lacking in keeping proper checks and controls on the performance and decision making of executive and non-executive directors. This often

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Audit of School Community Resources and Supports Assignment

Audit of School Community Resources and Supports - Assignment Example This makes the school administration to document the resources that it has and identify the gaps and weaknesses. Using this information, it can devise viable ways through which it can source for important resources. It is against this background that this paper provides an audit of the school in light of the community services and supports. To ensure a coherent consideration, it analyses the relative strengths and gaps in a bid to underscore the extent of these inconsistencies to the performance of the school and improvement of student behavior. Activities Conducted During the Audit The researcher spoke to about 50 individuals to determine the type of resources and support systems that were in place as well as their importance to the school. This also sought to determine the resources that were missing and what would be done to ensure that they are sourced. Further, the researcher interviewed the students to determine the manner in which they benefit from the available resources. The interviews were aimed at establishing whether the students are comfortable with the available resources and what they think should be done to improve performance. The researcher then spoke with the key stakeholders in the industry and specifically, those that were directly involved in the support system. These ranged from the school administrators such as the superintendants, teachers, chief academic officers, parents and a host of other education officials. Further, the researcher conducted a survey of the fifth grade students to determine whether they feel both physically and emotionally supported, safe, challenged or connected. Underlying efforts in this regard were also geared towards underscoring the nature of the learning environment and to what extent it encourages, inhibits or and supports social responsibility. Finally, the researcher reviewed the reports that had been previously made regarding the current support systems, their impacts on the behavioral wellbeing of the s tudents as well as their contribution to the academic performance of the students. The preceding activities had insightful views about the state of the support system and its contribution and influence on the overall performance of the students. They identified the support systems and services currently available and those that are missing. Most importantly, the findings underscored the strengths and weaknesses of each. At this point, it is worth noting that the preceding information is vitally important. Essentially, Scott and Hunter (2001) assert that it would act as a basement upon which critical decisions would be made. In particular, it would be important to positively emphasize the strength and eliminate or discourage the weaknesses. This way, the support systems and services would yield desirable outcomes. Critique of Strengths and Gaps One of the strengths that the institution has pertains to the active parent involvement in the education of the students. In this regard, the parents are well informed about their roles in the learning process. They attend all the meetings that are geared towards addressing the challenges that the students face. In addition, there is a cordial relationship between the teachers and the parents. In this respect, Lawson and Sailor (2000) assert that active involvement of the parent in the life of the student enables the former to understand the challenges being faced by the

Monday, November 18, 2019

Marketing cases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing cases - Essay Example The main macro-economic factors that influenced the Target’s performance during that period were the economic and social conditions that existed among the consumers. Due to the economic recession in 2008, there was a high unemployment level and an increased inflation, which had a direct connection with the sales outcome of the company. Along with this, the purchasing power of the consumers began to deteriorate due to the decline in the income of the sizable households. With the company’s products being viewed as expensive ones, it further impacted Target’s revenues. However, Walmart showed a far better growth due to its cheaper prices strategy hindering the Target’s upscale products. The Target’s â€Å"pay less† strategy was a risky one as it has to sustain its high-quality. That is, even while coping up with the changing economic conditions and its consumers’ attitude, it needs to focus on quality. However, it has successfully managed to overcome through the recession crisis and have switched towards a hopeful direction with this new strategy. Despite the high unemployment and increased inflation, Target takes an optimistic view in improving its sales through its new launches such as mini-grocery stores and up-and-up. By focusing on its ‘pay less’ part, Target has certainly pursued a best strategy by retaining the quality of its products even while emphasizing on the discount part. Expanding the advertising campaigns before focusing towards lower prices should have been the alternate strategy for Target during their decline in sales and revenue. As the company was keen on offering one stop shopping with lowered prices and improving the store’s infrastructure, it did not have enough time to analyze the consumers’ tendency towards their products, thereby missed formulating effective advertising strategies. Once they found the

Friday, November 15, 2019

Has The Traditional Marketing Eloped By Internet Marketing Marketing Essay

Has The Traditional Marketing Eloped By Internet Marketing Marketing Essay This research project compares traditional marketing and internet marketing to show the difference characteristics between them. Also this project is done to find out what marketing tools are effective for some chosen companies in the food industry. The main difference between internet marketing and traditional marketing is also studied in this project. Different textbooks, websites, articles and interviews are taken for the information required in this study. Both the quantitative and qualitative approaches are used in this research. Quantitative data are gathered form the website of the UK National Statistics. The author conducted interviews with three companies operation in the food industry in UK to collect information needed for the analysis in this study. After analyzing different aspects of theory, comparison and interview answers conclusion was drawn. Both the internet marketing and traditional marketing has their own advantages. Therefore, the most effective way of marketing is using the advantages of both internet marketing and traditional marketing according to the goals of the company. 1. Introduction Profit maximisation is the main objective of most business organisations for which they use marketing as their marketing strategy. Thus they use different strategies to sell their products and services. They always want to satisfy their target customers by creating, promoting and selling their product and services. One of the strategies they use is marketing, which can make a business grow and thereby become more powerful. To find out what sort of marketing to use in different area to achieve high share of market and high sales rate is very essential (Karp, 1974). According to Dayal et al. 1996, marketing can be defined as the activity of satisfying the needs and wants of buyers through the exchange process in a manner which enables the firm to achieve its objectives. On the other hand, Saxena (2006), marketing means understanding and responding to customers needs. Marketing is an organisational function and a set of process for creating, communicating, and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in way that benefit the organisation and its stakeholders (Parsons, et al. 2009). Marketing is considered to be a process of exploring, creating, and delivering value to satisfy the needs and wants of a target market at a profit (Kotler, 2003). The Term Marketing Mix (Product, Price, Place, and Promotion) was introduced for the first time by Professor Neil Borden in approximately 1953. Markets were offered opportunities to exploit each aspect of the 4 Ps of the marketing mix and satisfy their customers needs and wants, as soon as the concept was introduced by him (Karp, 1974). Technology has changed marketing, after staying same for several years marketing has now affected by internet and out lives has become easy. It brings new opportunities for marketing as a new communication channel and has been replacing the traditional medium of communication and selling goods and services. Problem discussion In traditional marketing, channels of communications such as magazines, catalogues, face to face communication etc are used. And nowadays in the internet marketing, internet is used as a communication channel as a part of direct marketing. New opportunities have been provided by this new communication channel which has affected marketing process. All the channels of communications have their own importance but internet is a channel that has developed and is continuously developing which has got a lot of attention from everyone. Right decision when choosing right marketing strategy for a marketer is very essential. For that the marketer should know the differences between internet and traditional marketing and their advantages and disadvantages also. Some obvious questions might arise in our mind that: which marketing approach is beneficial comparing traditional and internet marketing? In the real life companies, which tool is the most used ones? Is traditional marketing left back wit h the use of internet marketing? Is the traditional marketing and internet marketing independent to each other? Author find these issues interesting and companies entering the market will find this report helpful in prioritise their marketing tools and also have clear picture of all the elements of marketing mix and the comparison of internet and traditional marketing. Objective The main objective of this research is to identify different characteristics of traditional marketing and internet marketing. Comparing Internet marketing and traditional marketing used by different organisations in food industry. Also, what marketing tools are effective for the chosen companies in the food industries are to be discussed? The managers of the companies who need to make a decision about selecting the marketing tools and strategies will find this research helpful. They also will find the studies done on marketing theories and comparison between them, point of view of managers that were interviewed and the analysis made based in these things. Limitations The marketing managers of chosen companies are working in UK and their answers are related to UK food and takeaway market. This research might not be suitable for business to business companies as it is only focused on business to consumers. 2. Literature Review Different theories on the marketing mix and also traditional and internet marketing is presented in depth. 2.1 Traditional marketing According to Kotler 2003, Marketing is considered to be a collective process where individuals or groups can exchange goods or services based on their needs and wants. Neil Borden for the first time approx in 1953 presented the content of marketing process as marketing mix, representing the mixture of useful elements for marketing. Kotler considers the marketing mix as a mixture of different instruments or tools for pursuing a marketing plan (Walter, 1992). Marketing is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods and services to create exchange that satisfy individual and organisational objectives. In traditional marketing, channels of communications such as magazines, catalogues, face to face communication etc are used. The aim is to create products and services which sell themselves by being what customers need and want (Kotler, 2003). The marketing mix is probably the most famous phrase in marketing. The elements are the marketing tactics. Also known as the Four Ps, the marketing mix elements are price, place, product, and promotion. Price According to Belohlavek 2008, Price is a Conditioning element to the purchase. In general, except for commodities, price only conditions but does not determine. The price, by conditioning, determines if the product chosen, as first choice, is the one desired. The pricing of services is one of the major factors in competing with other business open to most organisations. By fixing prices below those of competitors, a company will hope to get a greater share of the market, all other aspects of competition being equal (Gubbins, 2003) On the other hand, Kotler presents, it is an important part of the marketing strategy and it sends out a message about the product, company and image. Pricing is decided upon the interest and goal of the company that they want to achieve. Whether, they want bigger market share, maximum profit or possibly a specific position in the market. It is very important job to set the price as it affect demand as the demand and price are dependent to each other. Product Product, or service, is the element which satisfies the clients needs. The product or services generates two types of relationships with the prospect: a functional and a linking one. The functional relationship refers to the products use value and the link with the product is mainly defined by the complementarity between itself and the client (Belohlavek, 2008). Product is the solution to customers wants or/and needs. There are different aspects of product that needs to be considered. Quality, design and function of the product are some examples of different aspects of the product. The size, colour and general design should be considered by the marketer for the product appearance. The demand should be also kept in mind so that what is required in the market should be known and for that research and market study is essential. Service is also included in the product or is a part of this P. The company can provide warranty as a good customer service which is attached with the product and thus is a part of this P. Place Products and services have to reach their customers to be consumed. In traditional market, it was possible for producers and their customers to meet face- to face to exchange goods and services. The product and services should reach the customer in the right manner at right place. The process of moving product and service through different intermediaries to reach the end user is considered under this part of P (Stone et al., 2007). According to Kotler 2003, place in marketing can be about location in the means of store, factory and storage. Also the decision on distribution channels and transport are part of it. Place is the crucial thing to determine for the business. The company who need wide space can chose location outside city which is cost effective. The company who need crowds and is opening new store need to be located in city centre, which is a bit costly but attracts customers attention and possible customers would drop in when passing by. A number of factors affect the nature of the supply chain that evolves to suit the needs of the producer and to meet customer demand (Stone et al., 2007). Promotion According to Kotler 2003, Promotion is that part of communication that consists of company message designed to stimulate awareness of, interest in, and purchase of its various products and services. Company use sales promotion, advertising, salesperson, and public relation to disseminate message designed to attract customers attention and interest. Sales promotion is any form of promoting sales where there is a call to action that results in a demonstrable benefit, whether tangible or not (Mullin, et al. 2008) Advertising includes any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods, or services by an identified sponsor. In contrast, public relations focus on building good relations with the companys various publics by obtaining favourable unpaid publicity. Personal selling is any form of personal presentation by the organisations sales force for the purpose of making sales and building customer relationships. Organisation use sales promotion to provide short-term incentives to encourage the purchase or sale of a product or service. Direct marketing can be done face to face meeting, mailing, telephone, catalogue, etc. This is one way of building long term relationship with customers. Finally, companies seeking immediate response from targeted individual customers use non-personal direct-marketing tools to communicate with customers. Sales force is the face of company towards customers when providing or offering customers solution in either services or products. Their wo rking process has become from just selling to more complicated task. The sales representatives are the one that bring the needs of customers and the company together and create the mutual satisfaction. (Kotler et al., 2010). 2.2 Internet Marketing Internet marketing has become an important issue for many businesses around the world which have any form of commercial presence on the net. In the early days of direct marketing, efforts at reaching prospective customers could be best described as using a shotgun approach. By packing an envelope full of advertisements and coupons and mailing them out to a large amount of households, it was discovered that customers would actually respond by buoying some of the promoted products. Today, with the creation of large scale databases and internet that systematically collect information on households and individuals, direct marketing has become faster. Incentive-based marketing is a technique where the customer is rewarded or compensated for completed purchase transactions. Similar to the concept of rebates in the physical marketplace, online marketing incentives are driving the explosive growth in advertising and marketing revenues. The key difference, however, is that marketer can extrac t information from online consumers by providing them additional incentives? This information can then be used in conjunction with other direct marketing plans to design and deliver targeted messages (Lee, 2001). Most of the households use internet nowadays via laptop, mobile, palmtop, PC, Etc. The 2010 internet access survey of households and individuals measure home access to the internet and individuals use of the internet across the UK shows that 30.1 million adults used the internet everyday or nearly every day. 73 percent of households had internet access and 31 million people bought or ordered goods or services online in the last 12 months. As we can see on the chart of adults using the internet almost every day in appendix B shows that the number of internet users has almost doubled from 2006 till date. (Internet Access, 2010) According to Hoffman et al. 1995, Internet is a new marketing tool that can be used by companies in order to reach their customers. Internet marketing is defined as the application of the internet and related digital technologies to achieve marketing objectives and support the modern marketing concept. Internet marketing is often presented as a new theory of marketing however some argue that basic concepts form the traditional marketing are still valid. Internet offers new opportunities to adapt the basics of marketing mix. (Chaffey, 2000). Price Price transparency on the internet as it is much quicker and easier to compare prices by visiting companys websites or by using prices comparison sites has made the business more competitive than was on the traditional marketing. Also the main reason of being competitive is the ability to reduce costs of store spaces and staff costs. As already mentioned above this is the reason of internet marketing being cost effective tool of marketing (Hagel, 1997). Online payment is new methods of payment that internet offers. Credit cards are seen as an efficient, convenient and flexible payment method for both customers and companies. However, customers are less confident about the service because of the security and privacy issues. Product Internet marketing is the most cost-effective way to market the products to the UK and the world. The internet leads to faster discovery of customer needs, greater customisation of the products to the customer needs, faster product testing, and shorter product life cycles (Eid et al., 2002). Internet provides the opportunity of offering a core product that satisfies the customers fundamental needs. On internet, a picture or description will replace the physical product offered in the traditional marketplace or in stores. Services offered on internet by a company should reflect the following factors in order to satisfy customers: reliability, responsiveness, competence, ease of use, security, and product portfolio. (Yang et al., 2004) Place New way of distributing product is done in internet marketing i.e. online selling. People can make decisions and purchase any product from anywhere in the world. Allen and Fjermestad 2009, argue that the internet has the greatest implications for place in the marketing mix because it has a large market place. Companies can gain the advantage of the low cost of advertising internationally without the necessity of a supporting sales infrastructure in different countries as they can expand their business form local market to both national and international markets. Internet also helps take advantage of new markets (Chaffey, 2000). Promotion Internet marketing as a promotional tool can give business a presence all over the world. Advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing, etc are the elements of communication mix which can be done with the use of new way of marketing that is internet marketing. For example, websites and email are the effective tools to review the new ways of communicating to the customers (Chaffey, 2000). Companies can encourage their customers to visit their websites and increase sales by sending emails remainders and different offers frequently. Internet helps to inform customers of the benefits of the product and assist in different stages of buying process. Companies can use internet to deliver their messages to their customers and attract them with the help of online advertising. Customers are always encouraged to buy when they see offers or the cheaper product compared to other competitor brand. Thus, sales promotion on the internet and emails is very used nowadays by the companies. This also helps company to keep long term relationship with its customers. Internet offers companies the opportunity to publish the news directly which is a part of public relations. Customers are sent emails to remind about the product and services that the company offers which also encourages the customers to send feedbacks and helps keep in touch. This is the part of direct marketing done by the companies as internet marketing tool (Chaffey, 2000). 2.3 Comparing Traditional and Internet Marketing Mix Traditional marketing and internet marketing is compared on the basis of its marketing mix or 4 Ps. This gives clear idea of different issues that either internet or traditional marketing carry in their tools. Price The cost of supply chain or the cost of distribution channel determines the price of the product. The bigger amount of cost is saved through internet marketing which can result lowering the product price. The cost of product may reach the paramount because of the management of distribution channel in the traditional marketing (Kotler, 2003). Tough competition in the internet marketing exist as the competitors can scan our potential pricing strategy and also our potential customers can reach to the competitors on one click. There is always security problem in the internet marketing, where customers may not feel safe paying online through their cards rather paying in the physical store where they can have more control over the payment process (Kotler, 2003). Product Product that the company offer in websites in internet marketing is just a virtual image where customers cant touch or feel. Whereas, in traditional marketing the product is tangible and customers can experience the quality by feeling it. Customer can sometimes change purchase decision because of lack of physically reaching and feeling the product (Lee, 2002). Company can offer wide range of products via internet marketing but it is not possible or it costly to offer wide range of products in the physical store. There will be more problem of storing and staffs handling inventory in traditional marketing than in internet marketing (Kotler, 2003). Place Customers can be attracted by decorating the store, like some stores does in the Christmas and New Year to create a specific atmosphere. This is only possible in traditional marketing but is not possible in the internet marketing as it is just a virtual image. Even though many of the websites try to create an atmosphere, but it is not as real experience as can be created in the physical store. In the traditional marketing customers have to wait and plan for the opening hours of the store and reach the store but in the internet marketing they dont have to bother about opening hours and the location. They can shop anytime and form anywhere from the world (Kotler, 2003). Promotion Time is money, what people say nowadays. The internet marketing helps save time of the customers and the company by the speed of reaching message to the customers about the product and services and also the purchasing process is done speedy. In traditional marketing it is not possible. Reaching the targeted customers is made easy with the help of internet marketing and can continue the relationship with them (Kotler, 2003). Face to face communication with customers creates bond between business and the customers. The company can get lots of advantages like they can get straight feedback and can measure result quickly. Communication is both sided in traditional marketing whereas it is not practical in internet marketing (Kotler, 2003) A website helps company to present itself in many ways where the customer can study different aspects of the company and get to know it well where as this is not possible in the same way through traditional tools for promotion (Kotler, 2003). A good website is very important for succeeding in online marketing. According to Sunday Times, some important guidelines for a good website for a company are: Keep sites simple and easy to use. Think user journey rather than individual pages. Provide clear information on contacts, delivery and refund policies Let shoppers browse without having to register. Build trust. Comparison of internet and traditional marketing On the basis of theories presented above, the main advantages of both internet marketing and traditional marketing is shown in the table as a bullet points. Marketer can adopt the positive aspects of either approach pointed out in this table. Internet Marketing Traditional Marketing Cost effective Personal Service Variety of products Physical access to product Reach targeted customers easily Quick feedback face-to-face Faster speed and communication Less tough competition Opens 24/7 Atmosphere of physical store Easy payment Secure payment Figure 2.3 Comparison on Internet and traditional marketing 3. Research Methodology There are different methods of data collection that we need in order to answer the research problem of this thesis. The two approaches are qualitative research and quantitative research which helps us explain the phenomenon. Qualitative research is typically used to answer questions about the complex nature of phenomena, often with the purpose of describing and understanding the phenomena from the participants point of view. Qualitative research is concerned with qualitative phenomenon. Qualitative research focuses on understanding the research subject by investigating the results based on direct observations, in depth interviews and analysis of documents and materials (Leedy et al., 2005). On the other hand, Quantitative research is based on the measurement of quality or amount. It is applicable to phenomena that can be expressed in terms of quantity (Kumar, 2008). The aim of this research is to make a comparison between traditional marketing and internet marketing and find the effective tools in these two approaches used by a chosen group of companies in food industry. Therefore qualitative research method is mainly used in this research. This enables the author to explore all areas of the topic at hand and also give a thorough understanding and analysis. 3.1 Data Collection Approaches There are mainly two approaches of data collection. Primary and secondary data collection is the two approaches of data collection and the author in this research will be using both the approaches for the data collection. Primary data First hand information gathered directly from the source, through experiments, observations, and interviews through mails, telephones, emails or personal interviews which are close to the truth are called primary data (Leedy et al., 2005). The primary data used in this study research was collected through interviews. The interviews were done with the managers of three companies in food industry they are: Popadoms, Zaffron Restaurant Bar and Sultan Balti Palace. Interviews with the marketing managers of Popadoms, Zaffron Restaurant Bar and Sultan Balti Palace were done through phone call. Based on some specific qualities they have and all three could give us different point of views on the subject, these companies were chosen. The main qualities that these companies share are that they are successful, growing and use both internet and traditional marketing tools. Popadoms offer mainly takeaways with the finest and freshest Indian food locally (Popadoms, 2010); Zaffron Restaurant Bar offers both service and foods for dining in customers with affordable price (Zaffron, 2010); again Sultan Balti Palace offers tourists with different new Indian foods with takeaway and dining in facilities (Sultanpalace, 2004). The author in this research has formulated a number of questions based on the data required to be able to come a conclusion regarding the research problem. To be certain of acquiring the necessary information as effectively as possible, the interview questions were structured according to the limited time for this research and keeping in mind difficult accessibility to the specific individuals that were interviewed and their busy schedules. Secondary data Secondary data is information that has been gathered by someone other than the researcher and/or for some other purpose than the project at hand. Secondary data could be in form of books, journal articles, online data sources, etc. (Leedy, 2005). The secondary data that the author will collect is through internet and books that are trustable. The statistics can be referred to as quantitative data will be gathered from the website of the UK National Statistics. Validity is establishing correct operational measures for the concepts being studied (Yin, 1994). In order to ensure the validity and reliability of this research, the methods and theories used to conduct this study were chosen from literatures written by authors known to be experts in this field and scientific articles form data bases recommended by Universities. Criticism The empirical data was collected through interviews done with the managers of three companies operating in food industry in UK; therefore the author cannot conclude that the result can be applicable for the whole food industry in UK. With the choice of qualitative research and the mentioned limitations, the author of this research cannot give a general conclusion applicable for other industries in the UK. 4. Empirical Data The author of this thesis will present the companies chosen as examples form food industry in UK. The companies were all chosen from the same industry to rule out the industry differences. The author contacted the companies to obtain information about the marketing conducted in respective companies. The marketing managers of these companies were just able to answer quickly by telephone due to lack of time. However, all these companies invited the authors to find more information on their websites; therefore some of the information presented in this part is from the companies websites. The questions asked with the managers in the interviews of all three companies are as follows: Interview questions: 1. What marketing tools does your company mainly use? 2. Which marketing tool does your company consider most effective? Why? 3. What are your point of view on Internet marketing and its importance for your company? 4.1 Popadoms Company Profile Popadoms is an Indian restaurant based in residential area Farnborough, Hampshire, UK. It opened 11 years ago and offers great Indian cuisine 7 nights a week. The restaurant is well established and has lots of regular customers. The restaurant also has a free local home delivery service and offers a great takeaway service (Popadoms, 2010). Interview Answers The marketing manager was asked to give the marketing tools used as their marketing strategy in the company, which tool is considered most effective and how internet marketing was perceived in the restaurant. The manager answered that the company uses mostly printed and online advertising. For example, the company use leafleting and posts for the promotion and advertisement. They use websites and send emails as online marketing tools. About the marketing tool perceived as the most effective, the answer was that the company uses a combination of traditional marketing channels because these allow the company to capture local customers and reminds them their local restaurant. Internet marketing is an important marketing tool for Popadoms because it gives the company the possibility to spread information faster. Also from the statistics we know that internet users are increasing and ordering online. The manager doesnt think that the success of the company only depends on internet marketing, and there is no such specific tool to success. 4.2 Zaffron Restaurant Bar Company Profile Zaffron Restaurant Bar is located in town centre of Farnborough, UK. It was established in 2001 and serves Indian food and drinks 7 days and nights a week. They have separate bar for their takeaway customers where they can have some drinks while waiting. They have more than 70 seating capacity and serves tourists as well as local customers. They are near Premier Inn, Aviator hotel and Farnborough airport which helps them to attract tourist customers (Zaffron, 2010). Interview Answers The marketing manager was asked about the marketing tools they use for their marketing and the effectiveness of these marketing approaches in their business strategy. The main marketing tools used by this company are according to the marketing manager Internet, homepage and traditional advertisement. As response to what the most effective tools would be, there was no general answer given. It was stated that in different types of marketing they use different marketing tools. It depends on what they want to achieve. The point of view of the respondent about Internet marketing was positive. The manager considers Internet to be very important for their company. It helps them reach the right customer quickly and use different channels. It was stated that the company couldnt succeed as well without Internet nowadays. It helps them to get their message out fast and reach a wider market. He believes Internet marketing helps their business and revenues grow. 4.3 Sultan Balti Palace Company profile Sultan Balti Palace is now in its 10th year and is busiest Indian restaurant in Wokingham. It is in the heart of the Wokingham town and serves an average of 650 customers a week. An article in a local newspaper referred to the restaurant as having Poppadoms in the Premier League. It is two storey restaurants and is in listed Tudor building. Sultan Palace holds 25 seats on the ground floor and 55 seats upstairs in the main restaurant. The restaurant serves a range of tempting and delicious light meals and snacks at lunchtime. In the evening the restaurant is well known for its traditional Balti style cuisine. There is a private room that holds 30 covers that can be hired for parties and functions (Sultanpalace, 2

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Music And Ednas Awakening :: essays research papers

In Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, the romantic and lyrical nature of Frederick Chopin’s Impromptu, as well as its originality, are the vehicle by means of which Edna realizes her love for Robert and her desire to be free and self-determined. Chopin’s Impromptu arouses "the very passions ... within [Edna’s] soul"(p.34). The harmony, fluidity, subtle rhythm and poetic beauty of the Romantic composer make Edna loose herself in the music that stirs her emotions. The art completes, for her, what nature cannot bring to a finish. The exquisite, looping, and often fiery melodies of the Impromptu make a cut in Edna’s mind through the conventional beliefs about people and society. Because she is not a musician, her listening is based on intuition, allowing for a direct apprehension of the music by the soul and leading to a confrontation with the reality itself — the reality of "solitude, of hope, of longing, ... of despair"(p.34). This is the beginning of Edna’s awakening, for such emotions, especially despair, are not an end but a beginning because they take away the excuses and guilts, those toward herself, from which she suffers. This revelation of previously hidden conflicts gives birth to dramatic emotions within Edna. It is so powerful that Edna wonders if she "shall ever be stirred again as...Reisz’s playing moved" her that night (p.38). For Edna, the times that Reisz plays are times when she "take[s] an impress of the abiding truth" and realizes her true desires(p.34). When Edna visits her, Reisz first improvises at the instrument and then plays the Impromptu which itself has original and adventurous themes. Through music Edna realizes the importance of being self-actualized and making choices. She again feels the same as that night when "new voices awoke in her"—when through music, the way to genuine freedom was revealed to her (p.84). However, having freedom comes with responsibility, which like giving birth to art, requires special skill. For Edna, the fantasies of freedom are transformed into reality wholly only in music and possibly the inability to acquire the skill to deal with her new emotions in life explains the dramatic conclusion to the journey and exploration of the passions that begin on the island.