Does any IR theory present a convincing framework for understanding Essay

Does any IR theory present a convincing framework for understanding global governance Why or why not Discuss with reference to - Essay Example The first time that the concept of IR theory as an academic discipline can be traced back to the book ‘the Twenty Years Crisis’ which was published in 1939 and was written by E.H. Carr. The publication of this book, the occurrence of the First World War and the consequent complexities on the international sphere prompted the University of Wales, Aberystwyth to set up a department dedicated to this subject (Burchill, et al., 2005). With the passage of time, conceptual models evolved in an attempt to explain the complex nature of post World War II- world and currently, several theories are present that aim to explain international politics. We now come to the second part of the question which is global governance. The concept itself is an old one but it has re-emerged in recent years by the name of globalization. Global governance refers to interaction of political nature between transnational actors aimed at solving common issues and problems in the absence of a power of enforcement. These issues and problems may be solved by arrangements which may be formal in the form of laws, treaties and constitutions involving governments, IGOs, NGOs, MNCs and civil society or it may be informal in the form of guidelines or coalitions. ... Secondly, the benefits of globalization have to reach all levels of population so that global governance is sustainable. Thirdly, the difference between global governance and world government needs to be established. Global governance does not seek a central power for the system to work where as world government does. Global governance aims to take some power away from the state in order for global institutions to be strong, autonomous and effective. Only then can global economy, politics and culture be transparent. Global governance has several underlying themes such as a global economy, environmental concerns, democratic political legitimacy at all levels, conflict resolution, freedom of scientific, academic and communication modes and maintenance of peace and security. Successful examples have shown that this is only possible through effective interaction between state and non-state actors. While it has its own merits and demerits, global governance is a new chapter in world polit ics and it is worthy of being explained by at least one of the established IR theories. Of the several IR theories that are present, three will be discussed in an attempt to explain global governance in this piece of literature. They are realism, constructivism and liberalism. Realism is one of the pioneer theories of the discipline of international relations. It consists of three main components namely statism, survival and self-help. Statism refers to the belief that only state actors play a major role in world politics and all the rest of the functional elements of a political system are merely pawns. Survival refers to the belief that there the international system is based upon anarchy or

The Triumph of Science Over Religion In the West Essay Example for Free

The Triumph of Science Over Religion In the West Essay By the sixteenth century, the Western experience with religion had turned bitter. The Catholic Reformation, also referred to as a Counter Reformation, was a response to the great Protestant Reformation in Europe during this period of time. There were two elements of the Catholic Reformation. First of all, Catholics were being called for a renewal of piety and of virtue in the form of renewed commitments to prayer as well as mysticism. This component of the Reformation was particularly evident in the clerical orders. The ordinary folks had nothing whatsoever to do with this component of the Reformation, seeing that even the clerical orders were not looked upon as worthy guides. Secondly, the Church was being asked to reform in order to deal with unparalleled as well as swift changes in society, and abuses that accompanied those changes. There was turbulence witnessed in the societal structure, and one of the reasons why it was necessary to initiate the Catholic Reformation was that the humanists had revived classical pagan philosophy in the fifteenth century, using the new miracle of printing to shift the attention of society from the after life to the present. At the same time as the classical pagan philosophy was being circulated, the Church was going through a period of decline with a desiccation of scholastic thinking. Internal abuses at the Church were also well-known, and these involved simony, the sale of indulges, multiple benefices, and much more. The Church could not be trusted as much as it was meant to be. As a matter of fact, the condition of religion in the sixteenth century was characterized by turmoil. King Henry VIII of England created the Church of England in the year 1533 A.D. by splitting from the Roman Catholic Church. Around the same time, the French Wars of Religion were waged between the Catholics and the Huguenots in France. How much confusion such chaos would have given birth to in the minds of Western Christians with respect to their religion could only be imagined. Christianity was, after all, supposed to be a religion of peace and unconditional love. The Western religion around 1500 A.D. was chiefly Christian, and the sixteenth century has been described as â€Å"probably the most intolerant period in Christian history.† It was not the scientists that were killed during this time because they came up with new ideas. Rather, in the sixteenth century, there were thousands of people that were killed because they were called heretics. Michael Servetus was only one such individual. He was burned in 1553 A.D., alive, on the order of John Calvin in addition to the city authorities, because he had made theological speculations that Calvin was sure were falsehoods. To put it another way, the religious authorities of the time would not allow people even to deviate in their thinking with respect to religion. Christians of the West were required to think of Christianity in the way that the religious authorities felt was appropriate. Critical thinking or questioning was not allowed by any means. What is more, the religious authorities themselves were known to be corrupt enough for places of worship to be closed down. Lindsay Clarke reports: In January, 1535, the newly appointed Vicar-General of the English Church, Thomas Cromwell, sent out his agents to conduct a commission of enquiry into the character and value of all ecclesiastical property in the kingdom. Overtly, they were reformers, exercising the new powers accorded to the Crown by the Act of Supremacy: from time to time to visit, repress, redress, reform, order, correct, restrain and amend all such errors, heresies, abuses, offences, contempts and enormities . . . which ought or may be lawfully reformed. But Dr. Richard Layton, Dr. Thomas Legh, Dr. John London, and the other tough-minded and venal officials chosen for the job had no doubt what the Crown expected of them. It took them only six months to submit for Cromwells scrutiny an accurate and detailed tax-book, the Valor Ecclesiasticus. Along with it came evidence of corruption and scandalous immorality in Englands monasteries. Such evidence was not hard to find, for by the 16th century many of the religious houses had long since lost their sense of purpose. The religious turbulence of the sixteenth century was continued into the seventeenth century. The government of England had become known for its harassment of Catholics as well as Jesuits. On 20 May 1604, certain religious men began to plot the destruction of the government after having heard Mass. A priest knew of this plotting, and was made to pay the price of this knowledge later on. And yet, the religious authorities of the Near and Far East were not facing religious turmoil around this time. Nor were the people of the advanced civilizations of the Near and Far East being confronted with religious confusion. Furthermore, scientists of the Near East were especially involved with their work during the sixteenth century, as for a number of centuries before. The Ottoman astronomer, Taqi al-Din, created astronomical tables in the sixteenth century. These tables were considered as accurate as the ones made by Tycho Brahe in Denmark during the same period of time. All the same, the Ottomans are known to have ceased their support for scientific innovations and research a century later, as their priorities took a shift. The West, however, continued scientific explorations even after the sixteenth century. The East had maintained its religions. It was only the West that had showed immense intolerance toward different religious beliefs and practices, even with respect to its own faith. Whereas religious authorities stopped Westerners from thinking and reasoning, science opened up a new world to the ordinary people. They were not called heretics because of their new scientific ideas. Rather, people who came up with new scientific ideas were in the company of many others who came up with great new ideas in the scientific arena. Giordano Bruno, Girolamo Cardano, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, William Gilbert, Johannes Kepler, Paracelsus, John Napier, and Andreas Vesalius are only few of the important Western scientists of the sixteenth century. Besides, this century saw the birthing of Copernicus’ theory, the import of new plant species from the Americas into Europe, and new inventions that revolutionized manufacturing and other features of living. The wheel-lock musket, the helicopter, the spinning wheel, the pocket watch, the diving bell, the seed drill, the camera obscura, the knitting machine, the compound microscope, the Gregorian Calendar, and the enameling of pottery were all brought into the world in the sixteenth century. So, while religion disappointed people, science brought renewed hope of existence through new products and discoveries. No scientist could be killed in the name of science. Hence, science was safely meant to stay on in the West despite the good or bad luck of religion. Bibliography 1. Clark, Lindsay. â€Å"The Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th Century.† Available from http://www.historynet.com/. Internet; accessed 31 March 2007. 2. Hogge, Alice. God’s Secret Agents: Queen Elizabeth’s Forbidden Priests and the Hatching of the Gunpowder Plot. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2005. 3. MacroHistory. â€Å"How the Idea of Religious Tolerance Came to the West.† Available from http://www.fsmitha.com/review/index.html. Internet; accessed 31 March 2007. 4. Lewis, Jone Johnson. Women Saints: Doctors of the Church. London: Penguin, 1998. 5. Magic Dragon Multimedia. â€Å"Timeline 16th Century.† Available from http://www.magicdragon.com/UltimateSF/timeline16.html. Internet; accessed 31 March 2007. 6. Olin, John. Catholic Reformation: From Cardinal Ximenes to the Council of Trent, 1495-1563. New York: Fordham University Press, 1990. 7. Pollen, J. H. â€Å"The Counter Reformation.† The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: K. Knight, 2004.

Conflicting Emotions :: Personal Narrative Writing

Conflicting Emotions I want us to do better. I want us to be stewards of our lands and keepers of our brothers'. I want men and women to be peaceful, loving creatures across the board and across the world. I have hope for these things. Yet, I am angry. I am frustrated and overwhelmed by the legacy from which I have come. My ancestors are murderous, violent people who are responsible for such evils as colonialism, slavery and genocide. They ravaged not only countless ethnicities around the world but the natural environment as well. I am the daughter, the granddaughter and the great-great-great granddaughter of the "White Man". The liar, the treaty breaker, the villain; that is who brought me into this world. So what then does that make me? It makes me a confused and conflicted woman. My Mother has always been very open with me about my family heritage. She never hid from me the fact that my family initially made their fortune on cotton and tobacco plantations in South Carolina and Georgia. There are towns in both of these states named after my slave-owning family members. My Mother still has in her possession the slave ledgers which recount the numbers and the prices of the slaves bought and sold by our family. She has always reminded me that we need to be knowledgeable about our history, even if that knowledge is of shameful and painful things. And let me tell you, it is both of these things. I have never really been able to reconcile my own personal beliefs with the cultural heritage that was passed on to me with my DNA. As I have begun to delve deeper into the history, ecology and current state of the Everglades I have begun to reflect on the role that my family has played in the recent history of the Everglades. My great-great-great grandfather Chipley was the man who brought the railroad to Northern Florida. It was his line that Flager built upon and extended into Southern Florida. Countless people made their way into the southern part of this state on the path that my family began. My great-grandfather, who was a biologist, came to southern Florida as an early "pioneer". He subsequently made his fortune off a company called Shark Industries which slaughtered sharks and sold their body parts around the world.

Case 4 Ginger – Smart Basics.Pdf Uploaded Successfully

C AS E 4 Ginger: Smart BasicsTM Dr Mukta Kamplikar1 Roots Corporation Limited develops and operates a fast-expanding chain of economy hotels across India under the â€Å"Ginger† brand. There is currently a lack of competition in the branded economy hotels segment and Ginger is the only branded economy hotel chain in India. The Ginger hotels are built around a concept that provides facilities to meet the key needs of today’s traveler, at affordable rates.Ginger faces challenges in different aspects of its business as it aims to deliver consistently, quality service to the customer and manage customer expectations. COMPANY BACKGROUND Exhibit 1: The proportion of hotel segments across Indian cities. Jaipur Cochin Goa Pune Hyderabad Bangalore Chennai Kolkata Mumbai Delhi/National Capital Region Budget Mid-market First class Lurxury R oots Corporation Limited (RCL) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL). IHCL is a part of the Tata Group of c ompanies (see www. tata. om), India’s premier business house. Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces comprises 77 hotels, 7 palaces, 6 private islands and 12 resorts in 40 locations across India with an additional 18 international hotels in the Maldives, Mauritius, Malaysia, Australia, UK, US, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Africa, and the Middle East. Incorporated on 24 December 2003, Roots Corporation Limited operates the ? rst-of-its-kind category of Smart Basicsâ„ ¢ hotels across India. Launched in June 2004, the Smart Basicsâ„ ¢ concept created a revolution in the world of Indian hospitality.Roots Corporation Limited develops and operates a fast-expanding chain of economy hotels across India under the â€Å"Ginger† brand. The company either owns/ leases land on which it develops and operates hotels and has now started entering into joint developments where the owner brings in the land and bare shell and leases the same to the company. The company’s recent growth has been organic, through developing and operating hotels in new cities or by going for additional hotels in existing markets; thus expanding the geographic reach of the hotel chain.The company intends to develop and operate additional hotels under both business models to maintain or achieve a dominant position in every market covered by their Ginger hotel chain. The Economy Segment Historically, hotel development projects in India generally focused on upscale hotels that were primarily targeted at international tourists and corporate travelers. New hotels will be concentrated in 18 main cities over the next 10 years, as shown in the following chart. Exhibit 2: Projected hotel expansion rate over 10 years. 60 50 Number of hotels 40 30 20 10 0De lhi N Mu CR Ba mba n Hy galo i de re rab ad P Ch une en n Ja ai ipu r G Ko oa lka Vis t akh Ko a ap chi Ah atn em am da b Ud ad aip u A r Lud gra h Luc iana kn M ow Co yso imb re ato re Source: HVS International. 446 Case Study Between 2007 and 2010, supply will increase in all categories of hotels, as shown in the chart below. Exhibit 3: Projected supply increase in all categories of hotel. Increase over Five Year Development of Supply Mid-market First Class Proposed Supply Existing Supply Budget Luxury a? liations as opposed to Ginger hotels, which are part of a network of hotels).Going forward we see competition continuing from the unorganized section of the market as well as from newer international and local hotel companies who have announced their intent to set-up hotels across the country in the value segment. The market is witnessing a fair amount of activity in this segment of the hotel market. Some of the companies who have announced plans to establish a presence in the country are shown in Exhibit 4. Exhibit 4: Lodging brands venturing into India. Brand Formule 1 Promoters Plans Agra Ahmedabad Bangalore Chennai Delhi (NCR) Goa Hyperabad Jaipur Kolkata Mumbai Other Cities ,336 519 1,906 2,075 7,030 2,252 1,442 1,298 1 ,354 7,402 8,056 384 462 7,794 4,407 28. 7% 89. 0% 408. 9% 212. 4% 69% 48% 55% 36% 74% 18% 57% 42 61% 36% 47% 31. 1% 28. 0% 24. 8% 12. 4% 25. 4% 11. 7% 11. 2% 30. 8% 3. 9% 32. 5% 16. 7% 38. 0% 27. 0% 43. 6% 34. 4% 36. 3% 29. 4% 28. 9% 18. 6% 37. 5% 15. 6% 37. 0% 23. 1% 38. 2% 25. 6% 21. 3% 26. 0% 49. 7% 26. 7% 24. 0% 62. 5% 51. 9% 14. 2% 10. 9% 10. 0% 18. 4% 18. 8% 26. 0% 9. 7% 13. 6% 53. 5% 10,856 154. 4% 2,632 7,408 2,770 2,465 9,318 6,870 116. 9% 513. 7% 213. 4% 182. 1% 125. 9% 85. 3%Accor in a 100 hotels in the next decade joint venture with Emaar MGF Isthitmar, Dubai New look pod hotels Easy Hotels Sleep Inn Source: HVS International. Choice 10 hotels by 2010; ? rst hotels Hotels with to be in Tirupati and Vizag Gupta Group Air Asia, Malaysia Lemon Tree partnered by Warburg Pincus First hotel to be in Goa 10 hotels by 2010 While growth is expected in the upscale hotels, the growth in the economy segment is still minimal. While several chains, both domestic and international, ha ve announced plans for development of hotels in this segment, visible action on the ground is limited.Economy hotel chains in India mainly target value-conscious domestic business and leisure travelers who demand convenient lodging, a consistent product and high-quality services. According to a study conducted by Ginger, currently, 37 percent of economy hotel guests are individual business travelers, 23 percent are contract corporate customers and 20 percent are individual leisure travelers. Economy hotel chains aim to satisfy customers’ basic accommodation needs with a? ordable pricing, a comfortable lodging experience and a standardized service-product.Lack of competition in the branded economy hotels segment is a great opportunity for Ginger. Tune Hotels Red Fox Peppermint Royal Orchid 50 hotels by 2010; bids for 11 Hotels hotels on Railway land are held up; ? rst hotel open in Hyderabad Kamat Hotels 50 hotels in the next ? ve years; focused on West coast; tie-up with ONGC /MRPL Wyndham with Gammon 38 hotels by 2011 Kamfotel Days Inn / Super 8 Premier Travel Inn Whitbread 80 hotels in 10 years in a joint venture with Emaar MGF Landmark 20 hotels by 2009 Group, Dubai DIC Starwood No numbers mentioned No numbers mentioned City Max Hotels TravelodgeCOMPETITION The lodging industry in India is highly fragmented and competitive, and competition is expected to persist and intensify. Currently, Ginger competes with three-star full-service hotels from the unorganized sector (these are hotels developed and operated as standalone hotels with no chain/hotel group Campanile While some developments have started in the mid-market segment with Lemon Tree Hotels, Ibis (Accor), Keys (Bergruen Hotels), Day Hotels (Dawnay Day), Hometel (Sarovar Group), Hilton Garden Inn Hotels (DLF) and Taj Gateway Hotels, not much activity is visible at the economy end of the spectrum.This is possibly on account of the high prices of real estate. Ginger: Smart BasicsTM 447 CASE STUDY Ginger—The Service Concept The concept of Ginger was developed in association with renowned corporate strategy thinker, Dr C. K. Prahalad, and the hotels were indigenously designed and developed by the Indian Hotels Company Limited. The Ginger hotels are built around a concept that provides facilities to meet the key needs of today’s traveler, at a? ordable rates. Smart Basicsâ„ ¢ is a philosophy of providing intelligent, thoughtout facilities and services at a ‘value’ pricing and re? cts the new spirit in which people live and work today. It signi? es the emerging lifestyle which is visible in the degree to which individuals have taken control of their various activities viz. the use of e-mail instead of letters, as also the use of mobile phones, conference calls and video conferences to get things done quickly and e? ciently. Essentially, it is simplicity and convenience in ease of doing business (awareness, booking channels, payment gateways); inform ality, style, warmth and modernity in its approach to product design, service philosophy and a? rdability in pricing. The ? rst of the Smart Basicsâ„ ¢ hotel was launched in Bangalore and was called indiOne. When the test marketing of the concept was completed, there were slight changes to improve the hotel facilities and services. After that, the Smart BasicsTM concept was rolled out across India. This category of hotels was launched with a new name, Ginger hotels, in line with the fresh, simple yet stylish and warm world of Smart Basicsâ„ ¢. An up-and-coming category of hotels, Ginger de? nitely signi? es simplicity, convenience, informality, style, warmth, modernity and a? rdability. The target segment for Ginger is the large growing middle class with increasing disposable incomes. They are the class of travelers who would spend on travel but not on luxury accommodations. These travelers look for value-for-money accommodation that is clean and secure and also include intern ational travelers looking for hygienic accommodation in the smaller cities. Ginger is the only branded economy hotel chain in India with a nationwide network of 12 hotels, with an additional 20 hotels under development as of 31 May, 2008.Their early-mover status in many markets and established regional operational synergy has enabled Ginger to develop and operate hotels e? ciently and successfully in targeted markets. As the only branded economy hotel chain in India, the chain has been able to establish credibility with property owners and secure desirable properties on favorable lease terms. The economy segment (3-star) is better protected against and more resilient to the volatility in the hospitality segment as compared to the upscale segment. THE OFFERING—SMART BASICSâ„ ¢Ginger hotels designed their facilities and services to include The Square Mealâ„ ¢Ã¢â‚¬â€a multi-cuisine restaurant, on-site cyber cafe, a meeting room (that seats 10 people), laundry facility (sa me day delivery), on-site ATM, a Gymnasium, secure parking and Doctor-on-call. Ginger lays special emphasis on environmental and ecological issues through the use of compact ? uorescent lights (CFL), well utilized natural lighting, auto-time management for air-conditioning and energy-e? cient hydro-pneumatic systems. Ginger provides ingle rooms for the lone traveler; twin rooms with separate beds for those who travel together; double rooms with a queen-size bed; and special rooms for the speci? c needs of the physically challenged. The rooms are packed with electronic locking systems, cable TV, Internet connectivity, a mini fridge, tea/co? ee makers, self controlled air-conditioners, an ergonomic work area, and a 17-inch ? at screen TV. Each room has branded toiletries, 24-hour hot and cold running water, a shower area, and bath and hand towels. Exhibit 5: Smart BasicsTM amenities. 48 Case Study Exhibit 6: Innovative promotion — A life-size model created for a campaign that i s carried to metros across India. Ginger operates predominantly in a large geography of nonmetros with uncontested market opportunity. Exhibit 7: The Ginger Development Map To ensure safety, Ginger is equipped with 24-hour security, closed-circuit TV to maintain records of all visitors, swipe card locks and digital safes located at a Give ‘n’ Takeâ„ ¢ counter at the lobby. In addition, it has supporting infrastructural facilities including administrative o? es, kitchens, housekeeping, HVAC facilities, diesel generators for emergency power supply, water treatment plant, sewage treatment plant, etc. Ginger has outsourced food and beverage to partners operating on a revenue-share model, which includes Cafe Co? ee Day in selected properties. Ginger also o? ers other facilities like â€Å"SMART Wellness†, which is an Ayurvedic wellness facility for business travelers at a low cost. This has been developed with Arya Vaidya Pharmacy at all businesscum-leisure locatio ns.Ginger has introduced â€Å"SMART Sleep,† which includes a posture-pedic mattress for absorbing and redistributing pressure from the body weight, a tropical duvet and an anti-allergy pillow. The company has also introduced selfoperated vending machines that accept Indian currency for customer’s convenience. The company is now developing a â€Å"SMART Shower†. The organization believes that a customer’s sleep and bath are his most important needs at their hotels. Going forward, Ginger plans to develop its own range of merchandise that will be o? ered in its hotels and on its website.The merchandise is to include their bath collection, bedding collection, furnishings and decor, apparel, accessories, travel accessories and etc. Ginger intends to increase their revenue per available room by adopting a ? exible pricing approach/policy, which will be linked to the occupancy levels in the individual hotels. EMPLOYEES AND TRAINING Ginger believes that their ab ility to attract good talent, train and retain employees is critical for their growth strategy, as people are critical to maintaining the quality and consistency of their services, and thereby their brand and reputation.The business model of Ginger uses a fair amount of outsourcing. Only about 10 managers per hotel are on the payrolls of Ginger, while all other facilities like kitchen, restaurant, backend maintenance, are outsourced. Ginger has a total of about 175 permanent employees. Since housekeeping and food and beverage are outsourced operations, these employees are on the vendors’ payrolls. Ginger tries to leverage on hotel management schools to develop a management talent pool with su? cient capacity to meet the demands presented by their rapid growth.The company aims to recruit, train and retain the best talent through a multi-step recruiting and training process, and career advancement opportunities. Ginger has implemented extensive training programs and periodic te sts for managerial and other hotel-based sta? primarily through training partners. New unit managers of the hotels are required to undergo a two-month training, during which they receive training in managing all core aspects of the hotel operations, as well as the company culture and philosophy. Ginger: Smart BasicsTM 449In addition to training, Ginger has implemented periodic web-based tests to assess the relevant knowledge and skills of their managerial and other employees. The company uses performance-linked compensation structure, careeroriented training and career advancement opportunities as key drivers to motivate its employees. Ginger’s challenge is also to ensure that the outsourced partner delivers up to the service standards that was agreed upon. To be able to create/modify the outsourced partner’s systems and processes to its needs in order to deliver consistent good quality of service to the customer is critical.Since each person in the system is working t owards the same goal of delighting the customer, there are few di? erences in terms of the employee pro? les between employees of the outsourced partner and the employees on the payrolls of Ginger. It is important to ensure that the people working for the outsourced partner see themselves as a part of the same team. It is also important that the outsourced partner sees the advantages in following the policies, processes and systems of Ginger. Ginger operates in a large geography of smaller cities where the pro? es of employees in terms of their exposure to technology, comfort with modern amenities, etc. are di? erent from that of a metropolitan city. The challenge therefore lies in getting these employees to perform up to expectations. To design systems to recruit the right kind of people and provide the right kind of training to employees is a challenge for Ginger because, while the developmental inputs do not need to be the same across unit locations, the output in terms of consis tent service to ful? ll customer needs has to be fairly identical. Additionally, acquiring professionally quali? d employees locally (in remote areas and non-metro cities) and retaining talent at those locations is an area of concern. In their endeavor to retain talent, Ginger makes e? orts to ensure that employees see additional value in non-monetary rewards like developing employees competencies by making this visible to their employees through certi? cations, etc. But to be able to consistently ensure this across locations remains a challenge. If there is attrition, to be able to train and retrain employees (since the numbers are very small) at remote locations becomes very di? ult. Ginger’s people challenges are thus attracting talent and keeping them continuously motivated, given the vast opportunities for most of their young talent. Ginger training head, Bhanot, says: â€Å"We are cost conscious and so we need to use unconventional methods of recruitment because conven tional methods like placement agencies turn out to be very expensive. We recruit through [email  protected], our recruitment portal, and about 48 percent of recruitment happens through this site. The rest of the recruitment is through referral programmes (with rewards for referring).These methods have been successful. We also build relationships with business schools and our employees go to colleges and partner with them by linking with their syllabi, calling students for get-togethers, using students as summer interns; instead of going once in a year like most companies do. We try to build relationships before the recruitment even starts. We also try to address the challenge of keeping our young sta? motivated by giving them opportunities to learn and grow by continuously upgrading their skills.We are a budget hotel and we have chosen e-learning initiatives to cut costs. We have in-house training, induction, training operations and e-learning modules (based on customer feedback s ystems) and program content is created internally. † CENTRALIZED HOTEL MANAGEMENT Personnel at corporate o? ce perform strategic planning, ? nance, project development, sales and marketing, training and other functions and guide, support and monitor the on-site hotel operations and executives. The key elements of Ginger’s centralized hotel management program are: Budgeting and MonitoringThe annual budget is based on historical operating performance of the hotel, planned targeted marketing, planned renovations, operational e? ciencies and local market conditions. Quality Assurance and Training–Quality standards These have been de? ned for all aspects of hotel operations, covering housekeeping and hotel maintenance, as well as ensuring compliance with these quality standards. A set of procedural manuals have been created and employees are trained to ensure the e? ectiveness and uniformity through 450 Case Study the human resources department at our corporate o? e a s well as through outsourced training vendors. The compliance with quality standards is monitored through both scheduled and unannounced visits and reviews conducted periodically at each hotel. Employees are required take periodic tests (including e-certi? cation) in order to monitor compliance with quality standards. In addition, the practice of mystery audits and tracking customer comments through guest comment cards, and the direct solicitation of guest opinions regarding speci? c items, allows Ginger to improve services and amenities at each hotel across the chain.To maintain a competitive edge and enhance their hotels’ appeal the company requires each hotel to allocate a ? xed percentage of their revenue for periodic renovation and replacement of furnishings and equipment to maintain the quality and standards of its facilities. Ginger has implemented a centralized procurement system (where possible, along with the parent company, IHCL) to obtain the best pricing availabl e for the quality of goods sourced to the hotels and to minimize the operating expenses. Ginger supports local sales e? rts of each of its hotels along with corporate o? ce sales executives who develop and implement new marketing programs, and monitor and respond to speci? c market needs and preferences. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Large travel agencies and smaller travel agents. Call Center—Ginger currently has a call center which can be reached through a toll-free number. Travel portals and other travel related websites. Distribution partners—Partners like BPCL, which is currently rolling out Travel Desks in various BPCL petrol pumps across the country, is also used as a channel for distribution.Access to these channels enhances occupancy rates of the units (hotels) on a day-to-day basis. The Ginger brand, trade names, trademarks, trade secrets and other intellectual properties are used to distinguish and protect their technology platforms, services and products from those of their competitors. This also contribute to their competitive advantage in the economy-hotel segment of the lodging industry in India. These intellectual properties are currently owned by the parent company, Indian Hotels Company Limited.To protect the Ginger brand and other intellectual properties, they rely on laws governing trademarks, trade secrets and copyrights as well as imposing con? dentiality obligations on their employees, contractors and others. Ginger has registered trademarks in India, including â€Å" † and a registered domain name viz. www. gingerhotels. com. Ginger’s corporate marketing and advertising programs are designed to enhance consumer awareness and preference for the Ginger brand—which is to o? r the best value, convenience and comfort in the economy hotel segment of the Indian lodging industry; and to encourage customers’ use of their centralized reservation system. Marketing and advertising e? orts include outdoor advertisements, distribution of ? yers and other marketing collateral on their hotel properties, television, Internet, radio advertising, print advertising in consumer media, promotional events, special holiday promotions and joint promotional activities.In reshaping customers’ expectations to make the brand endearing, Ginger does not provide room service, valet and concierge, and communicates the message â€Å"Please help yourselves† through its advertisements. The advertisements convey that since none of the above facilities are provided by the hotel, the customer saves on tips. However, there is clearly an expectation-perception gap as the Indian customer is still uncomfortable with the concept of Smart BasicsTM. They grapple with â€Å"there was nobody to receive me,† â€Å"nobody gave me water in the room,† â€Å"I called 7 times andMARKETING GINGER Ginger’s core targeted customers consist of corporate customers, value-oriented individual SME business travelers and leisure travelers seeking comfortable and convenient lodging at an a? ordable price. Ginger reviews hotel pricing twice a year and typically adjust room rates annually based on the local market conditions of the city and the speci? c location of each hotel. The corporate o? ce team and the city and hotel managers jointly develop tailored marketing plans to drive sales for each hotel and in each city.Ginger operates in a large geography of non-metropolitan cities like Agartala, Nashik, Bhubhaneshwar and Durgapur where pro? les of customer in terms of their exposure to technology, comfort with modern amenities, etc. are di? erent. The challenge therefore lies in customer responses to these. Ginger is currently using the following distribution channels which includes online media. †¢ Website—Internet Booking Engine hosted on the Ginger website is one of the main channels used for making the bookings. Ginger: Smart BasicsTM 51 the room boy did not tur n up. † Ginger sees many customers each day who enter the hotel not knowing what to expect. The many complaints on the websites and complaints registered across the counters at the hotels have to do with services Ginger does not provide (by design) rather than dissatisfactions caused by Ginger’s service. Creating awareness for the Ginger brand at this point in time is a challenge, and since the business model does not allow huge expenditure on media, innovative promotion is needed.Ginger made quirky use of outdoor media by materializing the idea of using a life-size 3-dimensional hoarding of some parts of the hotel, including getting someone to live in it. This was taken across a couple of metros for promotion and received extensive coverage in the electronic media. Ginger needs to ensure their customers come in recognizing and knowing what they should be expecting from the hotel. The challenge is not only in communication through advertisements, but also to communicate it clearly when a customer checks in. Ginger’s ability to communicate clearly what the customer can expect is an area of concern.This is because there is a tendency not to explain either because the customer does not have the patience to listen or there is a fear of losing this customer. Ginger has been trying to plug this by educating the customer before he/she checks in by having commercials playing in the hotel, training front line managers to give clear messages to the customer as to what Ginger can deliver, and communicating this through advertising. STUDY QUESTIONS 1. 2. 3. 4. What is Ginger’s service concept? Use the Flower of Service to aid you in your answer. How does Ginger create customer value?How can Ginger manage customer expectations more e? ectively? Evaluate Ginger’s brand positioning and communications strategy. Given that the number of players in the budget hotels market is increasing, how can Ginger sustain its unique positioning? Ginger fac es challenges relating to people. How can they overcome these challenges? What are the key challenges in the way to service excellence for Ginger? Give recommendations to Ginger to overcome these challenges? 5. 6. 1  © 2009 Dr Mukta Kampllikar, Senior Practice Consultant, Tata Management Training Center, Pune, India. 452 Case Study

Andres Bonifacio: Story of Life Essay

Bonifacio was the son of Santiago Bonifacio and Catalina de Castro in Tondo, Manila, and was the eldest of five children.[7] His father was a tailor who served as a tenyente mayor of Tondo, Manila, while his mother was a mestiza born of a Spanish father and a Filipino-Chinese mother who worked at a cigarette factory. As was custom, upon baptism he was named for the saint on whose feast he was born, Andrew the Apostle. Bonifacio’s normal schooling was cut short when he dropped out to support his siblings after both their parents died of illness. He sold canes and paper fans he made himself and made posters for business firms. In his late teens, he worked as a mandatory for the British trading firm Fleming and Company, where he rose to become a corregidor of tar, rattant and other goods. He later transferred to Fressell and Company, a German trading firm, where he worked as a bodeguero (storehouse worker). Bonifacio was also a part-time actor who performed in moro-moro plays. Not finishing his normal education, Bonifacio was self-educated. He read books about the French Revolution, biographies of the Presidents of the United States, books about contemporary Philippine penal and civil codes, and novels such as Victor Hugo’s Les Misà ©rables, Eugà ¨ne Sue’s Le Juif errant and Josà © Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. Aside from Tagalog and Spanish, he could speak a little English, learnt from his working for J.M. Fleming and Co.[8] Bonifacio was married twice, first to a certain Monica who died of leprosy. He then married Gregoria de Jesà ºs of Caloocan in 1893. They had one son named Andrà ©s who died in infancy of smallpox (Chickenpox). In 1892 he joined Rizal’s La Liga Filipina, an organisation which called for political reform in the colonial government of the Philippines. However, La Liga disbanded after only one meeting as Rizal was arrested and deported to Dapitan in Mindanao. Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini and others revived La Liga in Rizal’s absence and Bonifacio was active at organising local chapters in Manila. La Liga Filipina contributed moral and financial support to Propaganda Movement Filipino reformists in Spain.

Filipino Biologist Angel Alcala and Artifical Coral Reefs

Filipino Biologist Angel Alcala and Artifical Coral Reefs Angel Alcal has more than thirty years of experience in tropical marine resource conservationa. Angel Alcala is considered a world class authority in ecology and biogeography of amphibians and reptiles, and is behind the invention of artifical coral reefs to be used for fisheries in Southeast Asia. Angel Alcala is the Director of the Angelo King Center for Research and Environmental Management. Angel Alcala - Degrees: Undergraduate degree Silliman UniversityPh.D. Stanford University Angel Alcala - Awards: 1994 - The Field Museum Founders Council Award of Merit for contributions to environmental biologyMagsaysay Award for Public ServicePew Fellowship in Marine Conservation Work with Philippine Amphibians Reptiles: Angel Alcala has done the most comprehensive studies on Philippine amphibians and reptiles, and minor studies on birds and mammals. His research done between 1954 to 1999 lead to the addition of fifty new species of amphibians and reptiles.

Colonist Revolt essays

Colonist Revolt essays Throughout American history there have been many ups and downs, especially in the beginning. When different groups from different parts of the world come together you are going to have conflicts no matter what the situation is. In the case of the American colonists revolting against Great Britain I feel that the American colonist had every right to be angry and wage war. The colonists were treated unfairly and they helped out in changing they way America was and they way it is today. In the beginning Great Britain wanted to tax the American colonist on top of what they had already were being taxed by the local governments. The American colonists did not feel that this was fair and did not want to pay the taxes. I agree with the colonists. There is no reason that they should be taxed twice for the same thing. I do realize that Great Britain was in debt a lot of money from coming to America and helping out to start the New World. I do not feel that they were wrong for what they were trying to do but it was not fair and they could have come up with other solutions. The revolt changed the country economically in many ways. First, the revolt had a huge affect on what was taxed and what was not taxed. I feel that it was appropriate for things to be taxed. With out taxation things can not be paid for to help the economy and help out in fixing things and paying government officials. I can not take the side of the colonist or Great Britain. I feel that they Britain had good intentions and the colonist were just upset because of all the taxation taking place at one time. The different taxes such as the tea tax, the stamp act, and other taxes were brilliant ideas in my mind to take care of the debt and for numerous other things. It is not possible for the government to have any authority without it. I feel that the revolt after it was all over brought many people together and helped to change the way peop ...