KFC Marketing Strategies

KFC Marketing Strategies Introduction Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is a world known chain of fast food restaurants based the United States. It’s the world’s most popular chain of restaurants that sells chicken pieces in a variety of forms.The company receives more than 12 million customers per day in its various restaurants based in 109 countries in the world. Harland Sanders is the person believed to have come up with this recipe more than half a century ago. The cooperation is part of the world’s largest restaurant, Yum! Brands Inc.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on KFC Marketing Strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Evolution of strategies used by KFC Over the years, KFC has used a number of business strategies that have enabled them to evolve from a one man business to a multi-billion dollar enterprise. One of the skills that it first utilized was ensuring that one’s skills and knowledge is invaluable. Th e success of a business is greatly affected by the level of expertise the company brings in. it is obvious that the higher the level of skills and expertise, the greater the potential of business success. It is advisable that people set up businesses based on their own set of skills and areas of expertise just like the founder of KFC, Colonel Harland Sanders. His knowledge and expertise in preparing chicken meals contributed to the success and expansion of KFC (KFC Business Strategies 2011). Another strategy that was adopted was the strategy of achieving uniqueness. Being able to be set apart from other competitors goes a long way into improving the growth rate of any business. This is only achieved by doing things differently. It is therefore advised that the entrepreneur skims the market first in order to establish what they could do that is different from their competitors and it also has to be appealing to their customers. The way products are produced, packaged, delivered, or e ven service delivery to the customer has to be unique and different from other competitors. KFC came up with the pressure fried chicken which set them apart from other chicken restaurants. It also included a special blend of recipes and herbs that made their chicken taste different from the others. Sanders became very popular in the 1930’s for using this technique. Persistence and focus is another strategy that KFC adopted when it started its business. At the start of every business it is never a guarantee that the business will be a success. It may take some time for the sales to go up and at times the business may even experience a loss. Persistence and focusing on what works and what doesn’t ensures that in the long run the business becomes a success. Colonel Sanders lost his business at the age of 65 but re-built it in ten years. This saw him opening a total of 600 franchises which saw him earn approximately $300, 000 before tax.Advertising Looking for repo rt on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Bringing in experts into your business is a good way of ensuring that the business continues to build and grow. The experts can be partners or employees; however, they are the most important people who will structure the business into systems that will outlive even the founder of the business. In 1964, KFC allowed professional managers to take over the business. This saw the business grow from a one man business to multi-billion dollar franchise.It even expanded into the international market and established its outlets in various foreign countries. They believed that their products had a good market in other states other than the United States. Not only this, but also the production rate as compared to the consumers rate was profitable and they had little or no competition. Ironically, by 1992, KFC was collecting more revenue from the foreign markets than it was coll ecting from the United States. Push and pull strategy used by KFC The push and pull strategy is most efficient if a producer wants to supply their stock to stores and at the same time create a demand supply for their products. This is particularly effective for a business that is still starting. The push strategy is whereby the producer of the goods has to work extra hard in order to distribute their products to retailers and wholesalers. Fast moving consumer goods can work effectively well for the push strategy whereby the customers are ready to make purchasing decisions. The manufacturer can engage the retailers in promotion strategies such as face to face selling and encouraging them to stock the product (Kotler Armstrong 2010). Once the product has gained a good customer base, the product can sell itself and the pull strategy can then be in cooperated. The pull strategy is whereby the product has gained popularity and the consumer is actively seeking for this product. The deman d for the product is so high that retailers are making orders so as to stock their shelves and supply the customer with the product. This can only be made possible through advertising so that the brand is visible to the consumers as well as to the retailers. The pull strategy takes advantage of the supply-demand chain whereby the retailers will only stock goods that the consumer is interested in buying (Lamb, Hair McDaniel 2008). KFC has mostly utilized the push and pull strategy whereby it has managed to draw customers towards their products. It is famous for its company jingle, ‘finger licking good’. They use it to create an impact to their customers and inform them of the product that they are selling. In their advertisements, they show person devouring a piece of chicken and this in turn makes the customer desire to have a piece of the KFC chicken. Advertising is a good way of ensuring that their customers are constantly reminded of how good their ‘finger lic king’ chicken is. Coupons, entertainment, premiums and exhibitions, have all been utilized by KFC to enhance their sales. The company has come up with various incentives that attract its customers to buy their various chicken products.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on KFC Marketing Strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For instance it offers free meals to the customers after the customer has spent a certain amount of money buying their products. A coupon is issued to the customer who in turn will use it to get their free meal. They also offer free meal vouchers using the print media whereby the customer cuts out the voucher and goes to one of their outlets to collect their meals. The 7 p’s of marketing The seven P’s were developed as a strategy that aids to continually evaluate and re-evaluate business activities. The seven P’s formula consists of: product, people, price, promotion, place, packaging, and positioning. They help to ensure that a business is on track and is achieving the maximum results possible for today’s market place (Stephenson Thurman 2007). The product needs to be evaluated with the eyes of an outsider. This can be done by acting like an outside marketing consultant brought in to evaluate of the business is headed towards the right direction. The company chain of restaurants specializes in fried chicken served in a variety of forms. It’s well known for its pressure fried and crispy chicken. KFC has managed to branch out internationally and sell its products according to the geographical needs of the customers. For instance, they have realized that the customer needs in North India are different from those in the south. Those in the north prefer to eat the chicken items while those in the south prefer to eat vegetarian items. They have therefore managed to determine the geographical demand of their items. In addition, it has m anaged to divide its customer base into different groups using a demographic basis. For instance, it has divided the groups according to gender, family size, age group, etc. This way, they have been able to identify the needs of the various groups and therefore provide them with products that will satisfy them. They have further divided their customer base into psychographic segments. This is a division based on social class, personality, or even lifestyle. These various categories of people have different demands and therefore KFC has managed to distribute products that cater for each of their needs. It is important to consider the location of one’s business and thus this leads to the second P which is positioning. The location of a business directly affects its sales. In addition, an entrepreneur should know what the consumers think of his or her products on the ground.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More What is their position on the product in terms of its quality, and the services that are given to them? KFC has gone out on a limb by doing their market research and establishing what the consumer wants and what improvements can be made on their products. In order to satisfy their customers and improve their position in their customers’ minds and hearts, KFC produces the freshest and purest food. This gets the customers talking positively about their products and services to other people. Pricing, which is the third P in the seven P’s, should be evaluated and re-evaluated every now and then. The entrepreneur should ensure that the prices are just right for the current market situation. It is advised that the prices should be readjusted every now and then to suit the customers’ needs and the market pricing. This therefore calls for an increase and a decrease in the prices. The entrepreneur should consider pairing up services with the goods that they are selling. This can be done by giving special offers and promotions accompanied with the products being sold. In addition it would also be a good idea to spread out the pricing of the products over a period of months or years to avoid losing customer base. Moreover, pricing should be done according to the effort put into producing a product. It would be considered to be more profitable to raise the price for a certain product if the effort that goes into it is equivalent to its pricing. Even though the percentage of customers may go down, the remaining percentage will generate profits on every sale. Before putting a price tag on its product, KFC looks at certain demographic factors such as age, gender, and household size. Although it has no age limit, KFC’s largest consumer group consists of young people regardless of their gender or gender roles. They have also found that their biggest consumers come from whole families rather than single households and thus they invented the ‘fa mily meals’ offer (.Kentucky Fried Chicken- KFC- Marketing Mix- Four Ps 2009). When pricing their products, KFC has looked at also economic factors. The income bracket determines which people the company will most likely target. In the beginning, their main focus was on the upper class but as years went by its focus shifted to include the lower and middle class families. Consumption behavior also determines the pricing of products according to which products the customers favor more to the least favored. Before determining the prices of their products, KFC first of all skims the market. They do this by pricing their products to suit the upper class before lowering their prices to accommodate the lower class category of people. Their prices also can be relatively compared to those of their competitors. KFC has dominated the chicken business and therefore their chicken products have a higher selling price than other fast food restaurants. However other products such as burgers and pizzas are sold at a lower price in order to attract customers. When pricing their products, they also consider the government tax and excise duty. Their prices are comparable to the products they give to the consumers as well as their market segment (Kentucky Fried Chicken- KFC- Marketing Mix- Four Ps 2009). Place is the fourth P. there are many ways in which a business enterprise can sell its products. First of all, the company may decide to sell its goods directly from its location or disperse agents on the ground to advertise and sell to potential customers. On the other hand, a company may utilize a variety of strategies such as telemarketing or through catalogues and mail orders. Either way, the company has to come up with a strategy that ensures the customer receives essential information that will equip them with knowledge to make a buying decision (Tracy 2004). The company must therefore ensure that the customer is able to access these services through the strategic loc ation of the business. KFC has utilized this strategy fully by coming up with a variety of services that they give to their customers. To begin with, they came up with the free home delivery strategy whose sole purpose was to deliver their products to homes and offices free of charge. They ensured that their customers didn’t have to travel long distances in order to access one of their outlets so they strategically put in place outlets around the city. KFC also didn’t leave out individuals that led a hectic lifestyle with little time to spare in preparing meals. It has catered well for such individuals by giving them a full meal in just minutes. Despite their high pricing, KFC has managed to control its pricing to suit all classes of people. KFC has cleverly placed its outlets in highly populated areas such as the urban areas which in turn bring in more profits for them. Schools, colleges, markets and cinemas are usually highly populated and therefore KFC has taken adv antage of this and situated their outlets in these areas. It utilizes the push strategy whereby it relies on its ability to sell its own products and services. Promotional efforts such as discounts can be used to help push their products and services through the distribution channels. This creates a sense of awareness, autonomy and it also sound attractive to the customer. Promotion is the fifth P in marketing. Businesses use this strategy to inform the customer of their products and services. This directly affects the sales of the businesses products if the promotion is done in the right way. Advertising slogans are the most common way of promoting products and services to customers. The way it is done will highly influence the customer’s interest. A slight adjustment to the advertisement slogan goes a long way to improve the company sales as the customers will always be talking about the products. It is of important try out various ways of advertising, promoting and selling of products. The same form of advertising may only work for a short period of time before the customers lose interest. Therefore to continue keeping the customer interested in the company’s products and services, the form of advertising and promotion has to be re-evaluated from time to time (Tracy 2004). KFC uses promotion as the main tool for informing their customers of various offers on their chicken products. To begin with, their logo of the smiling colonel is most likely an image that makes customers associate KFC with chicken. They use a company jingle, ‘finger licking good’, to create an impact to their customers. They show a normal person devouring a piece of chicken and this in turn makes the customer desire to have a piece of the KFC chicken pieces. This strategy has worked effectively in India where there is the largest market for chicken lovers. KFC uses advertisements to ensure that their customers are constantly reminded of how good their ‘fi nger licking’ chicken is. In order to enhance its overall image, the company sponsors various organizations such as the cricket team which spots the company logo on their uniforms when they go for their matches and tournaments. By using tools such as coupons, entertainment, premiums and exhibitions, KFC has managed to enhance its sales. The company has come up with various incentives that attract its customers to buy their various chicken products. For instance it offers free meals to the customers after the customer has spent a certain amount of money buying their products. A coupon is issued to the customer who in turn will use it to get their free meal. They also offer free meal vouchers using the print media whereby the customer cuts out the voucher and goes to one of their outlets to collect their meals. The sixth P is packaging. This is how the product being sold appeals to its customers. The packaging has to be attractive and clean. In addition, the customer has to be impressed on the very first encounter if the company wants to retain a good customer base. This calls for proper grooming of the hired personnel. They have to be properly dressed for the job and offer quality services. The offices and waiting rooms where the business is being conducted have to be thoroughly clean and presentable. Customers have to have a sense of trust when they make their purchase choices. It is important for the company to do some research and know what improvements to make on the quality of their packaging and what appeals to their customers. KFC is famous for its packaging. It is known for using the paper bucket for its large chicken orders and the use of a rotating bucket sign that’s used in most outlets in the US. It is also environmentally conscious and has introduced the re-useable food container. The plastic plates have long been replaced with the paper serving boxes all in an effort to reduce environmental pollution. The final P is people. A company has to know what type of people to hire and what they can do best. The right people have to be hired to do the right job. When trying to establish a successful business, knowing which people will perform which tasks best is something that a company must initially consider before hiring any personnel. The right people may be able to propel the business into achieving maximum sales. KFC has hired personnel that are able to deal with their customers efficiently and ensure that their customers are satisfied. In addition, the personnel hired are allocated positions that suit their skills and abilities. Key challenges facing KFC KFC sells up to 850 million chickens a year. It does this in collaboration with other companies that slaughter and rear the chickens for them. However, KFC in collaboration with these companies has been accused of killing the chickens inhumanely and subjecting them to torture. They have been accused of standing by as chickens are crammed into cages resulting in b roken bones before they’re slaughtered. Animal rights organizations have condemned these acts and this poses a problem for KFC if they intend to keep any customers. KFC has also faced problems with the health experts who claim that the oils used to make the chicken consist of Tran’s fats which result in complicated health issues such as obesity. Nutritionists and other health organizations have threatened to sue KFC if they do not change the kind of fat that they use to make their chicken products. Furthermore, the company has faced protests in India where angry farmers are against the company bringing in ‘junk food’ to a nation that greatly suffers from malnutrition. The farmers fear that the number of growing fast food chain restaurants could deplete the country of their livestock and lead to deterioration of agricultural activities. How KFC can remain relevant in the market Consumers’ desire to have a healthier diet at KFC and the humane treatmen t of chickens is one of the challenges that KFC is facing today. These issues are closely related to the sales of the company and should therefore be addressed immediately if the company wants to maintain its customer base. A new marketing plan has to be designed in order to improve the overall image of KFC and attract more customers. The marketing strategy has to address the issue of torturing chickens and thus create solid revenue for the company. Reference List KFC Business Strategies.2011, Viewed on www.successprinciplesonline.com/business-strategies/kfc-business-str Kentucky Fried Chicken- KFC- Marketing Mix- Four Ps. 2009. Viewed on www.scribd.com//Kentucky-Fried-Chicken-KFC-Marketing-Mix-fo.. Kotler, P Armstrong, M. G. 2010. Principles of Marketing. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Lamb, W. C, Hair, F. J McDaniel, C. 2008. Marketing. Canada: Cengage Learning Stephenson, J Thurman, C. 2007.Ultimate Small Business Marketing Guide. Canada: Miller Works. Tracy, B. 2004. The 7 Ps of M arketing. Viewed on www.entrepreneur.com/article/70824

History of the IRA essays

History of the IRA essays There are many terrorist groups through out the world. There are few, if any however, that are as old as the Irish Republican Army. The IRA is most likely the oldest terrorist organization in the world today. The Irish Republican Army fights for Ireland's independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain. The history of the Irish Republican Army goes back a very long time The organization from which modern Irish republicans trace their origins - the United Irishmen of the 1790s. Inspired by the example of the American War of Independence and by the democratic ideals of the French Revolution, the United Irishmen sought to unite the people of Ireland in a common effort to achieve equality and freedom. Choosing non-violent means to win their aims, the United Irishmen were quickly met with an aggressive response from the British government. It was only then that they exercised their right as Irish people to defend their liberty by the use of arms. It was a pattern that was to be repeated several times in the next century and a half. Armed uprisings against British rule took place in 1798, 1803, 1848 and 1867. The 45 years between 1803 and 1848 saw the Irish population mobilized in one of the first mass movements for political reform in the history of Europe. The demand for legislative independence for Ireland was denied by the British government. The Great Hunger of 1845-1852 saw a million people starve and a million more emigrate yet this catastrophe befell an unarmed people and there was only sporadic resistance. The ill-fated uprising of 1848 was localized. The lessons of this period were not lost on succeeding generations of Irish patriots and the Fenian Movement of the late 1850s and 1860s won widespread support in Ireland and America for its program of armed struggle to achieve an Irish Republic. The uprising of 1867 was crushed and another 49 years were to pass before Irish nationalists attempted an armed resista...

Accounting for Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Accounting for Decision Making - Essay Example Break-even level of sales = Break-even units*Selling Price (Keiso, 1999) = 148148.15*170 = $25,185,185 Strategy #2 Fixed Cost = $25,000,000 Selling Price = $200 Variable Cost = $35 Break-even level of output = = = 151,515 units Break-even level of sales = Break-even units*Selling Price = 151515.15*200 = $30,303,030 Desired Target of Profitability The company's desired profitability target is $4 million. According to the break-even level of sales, the company must exceed the above revenue levels according to both strategies in order to be able to make profits. If the output levels, as given in the table, are taken into consideration for calculation of optimal revenue which exceeds breakeven and offers the firm with its target profitability level, the following table would provide the relevant answers to base our analysis with. Strategy 1 Â   Selling Price = $170 Estimated demand (units) Estimated Revenue ($) Profit ($) 150,000 $25,500,000 $314,815 180,000 $30,600,000 $5,414,815 200,0 00 $34,000,000 $8,814,815 Hence, if the company undertakes strategy 1, as can be seen in the table above, output levels of above 180,000 units would allow the firm to fulfill and exceed its target profitability level. This range of output also fulfills the break-even level of output therefore the firm is satisfying its desired profitability level. (Keiso, 1999) ... This level of output also has the highest probability of consumer demand levels hence the firm will benefit from undertaking this level of production and fulfilling its profitability targets. (Keiso, 1999) Margin of Safety Margin of Safety: Budgeted/Actual Sales - Breakeven Sales (Keiso, 1999) Margin of Safety (%) : MOS/(Budgeted/Actual Sales) (Keiso, 1999) Strategy 1 Â   Â   Estimated demand (units) Breakeven Sales (units) Margin of Safety (units) Margin of Safety (%) 150,000 148,148.15 1,852 1.23% 180,000 148,148.15 31,852 17.70% 200,000 148,148.15 51,852 25.93% Strategy 2 Â   Â   Estimated demand (units) Breakeven Sales (units) Margin of Safety (units) Margin of Safety (%) 150,000 151515.15 -1,515 -1.01% 180,000 151515.15 28,485 15.82% 200,000 151515.15 48,485 24.24% As stated above, the margin of safety can be expressed in either units or a percentage of the total estimated sales. These figures are important for key decision making for managers because it shows the extent by which the projected sales exceed the break-even sales. The margin of safety is an important measure of risk as it shows the amount of sales which a firm can afford to vary without incurring a loss. The higher the number, the more beneficial it is for the firm since the company would be able to withstand fluctuations in sales. A drop in the levels of sales, lower than the margin of safety would alarm the management since it would cause losses for that particular period for the firm. (Keiso, 1999) Decision The decision of whether the company should go ahead with the new product should include many other ratio and cash flow analysis and evaluations so that the management, even though they cannot avoid any risks, are able to come up with more suitable decisions. However, based

How do the child figures in The Tempest' contribute to our Essay

How do the child figures in The Tempest' contribute to our understanding of Prospero as a Renaissance leader - Essay Example Thus they contain down-to-earth characters who appeal to the working classes, side-by-side with complexities of plot which would satisfy the appetites of the aristocrats among the audience† (Geraghty, 2002). The progress of mankind can be traced through numerous different venues, not the least of which is humankind’s identification with and understanding of what constitutes the supernatural. These ideas of the supernatural are reflected in the way in which the various characters of these works interact with the world of the supernatural as it relates to the self. At the same time, it has been suggested in a number of different ways and in a number of different cultures that the fundamental nature of the parent can be seen to some degree in the fundamental nature of the child. This nature can also be revealed to some extent in the various ways in which the parent relates to the child. Literature, in telling us stories of different people, can often reveal much more detail regarding what is meant when one refers to a particular character type such as the renaissance man by how this figure is revealed through his or her relationships with others, particularly those who are most dependent on them. To illustrate how this might occur, it is possible to look to the child-like characters in William Shakespeare’s play â€Å"The Tempest† to gain an understanding of the renaissance man as he is represented in the figure of Prospero. The term Renaissance Man is often thrown around as if it should be widely understood by those within hearing. It is used in statements such as â€Å"Jim is a true Renaissance Man,† and thus presented as self-explanatory. A film featuring the name â€Å"Renaissance Man† was created in 1994 that sheds some light on the term as the actor Danny DeVito struggles to teach relatively uneducated military recruits how to think by having

Sound of Thunder Essay Example for Free

Sound of Thunder Essay The story is about traveling in the time. It takes place in 2055; a Time safari INC company provides a time traveling machine to its customer, so they can travel in time and go to million years ago. Eckles, who was the first character of the story, decided to go to million years ago to hunt gigantic animal. He believed he can be the first person who has hunted the Tyrannosaurus Rex. The most important point of the story is how the slight occurrence could change the future and affect the earth and people who live in the future in long term. The company sent Eckles to the past with Mr. Travis who was the safari guide in to the past and Lesperance who was Mr.travis assistant. They told Eckles that he must not go out of the path. Moreover, he couldn’t shoot any other animals except those that had been marked. Some animals had been observed by the guides of traveling in to the past and they realized that they will die soon by nature accident. By the time Eckles saw the dinosaur he got scared so much and panicked; therefore, he went out of the path on accident. Travis was so mad at Eckles because he disobeyed him and stepped out of the path. He threatened Eckles that he either will take out the bullet from Tyrannosaurus’ body, or he will shoot Eckles. Travis explained them they can’t leave anything in the past because they don’t know how it will affect the future. He believed that killing even a mouse or destroying a plant could ruin nature circle and influence next fauna’s generations. When they came back to their own time they realized slight differences. Spelling was different; the reception looked slightly different. Also the result of the recent election had changed. And a guy, whom they believe is dictator, won the election. Eckles looked at his boot and saw the mud on it. When he looked more closely he noticed that he stepped on a butterfly. Travis became so furious when he saw the dead butterfly and figured out it caused all the changes; therefore, he shoot Eckles.

The True Measure of a Man :: Goodness Ethics Morals Essays

The True Measure of a Man Being a good person is something that everyone strives to do. For most, it is a subconscious thing we do. For others being a good person is a way of life, not just a superficial â€Å"look at me and what I do,† but a deep spiritual understanding that everything one does in their daily life is beneficial to others around that person. For starters, one must define the words good and bad. Dictionary.com’s definition of a good person is â€Å"a person who is good to other people.† Its definition for a bad person is â€Å"a person who does harm to others.† Both of these are vague so one must venture into the definitions of the words good and bad. The definition found at www.dictionary.com for the word good is, â€Å"Socially correct, proper, beneficial to others, valid or effectual under the law, characterized by honesty and fairness.† The definition of bad is, â€Å"Not achieving an adequate standard, evil, sinful, unfavorable, having undesirable or negative qualities.† It seems as if the public has determined the meaning of good and bad to be whatever they want it to mean. This paper is going to use good and bad in relation to people; where good is benefiting someone, and bad is hindering someone. In the story of Robin Hood, Robin begins his life as a law abiding citizen. After his father is killed, the sheriff of Nottingham denies him his father’s place as a ranger. He is coerced into killing a deer in front of a large group of lawmen, making him a criminal. From that point in the story Robin becomes a member of the Sherwood men. These men do not just live in Sherwood Forest; they take a toll from anyone who is passing through the forest. All of these men are deemed outlaws by the local sheriff, and his military. By being pronounced as outlaws, it makes them bad people who break the laws. From a different point of view, they might be outlaws but they chose that life because they were breaking unjust laws. They as a group agreed to break any law they thought was unjust and unfair to the people of England, while pledging full allegiance to the king of England. In a public view these people were bad men, but one who came to know then could see them as good men wh o wanted the best for England and all of its people.

Macbook Air About Essay

MacBook Air is unbelievably thin and light. But it’s designed to be powerful, capable, durable, and enjoyable to use, with enough battery life to get you through the day. That’s the difference between a notebook that’s simply thin and light and one that’s so much more. Even at less than an inch thin, MacBook Air sets a pretty high standard — by making flash storage standard. Flash chips are very compact, allowing MacBook Air to be incredibly thin and light. Flash is also solid state, meaning there are no moving parts. Which makes it reliable, durable, and quiet. And it takes up much less space — about 90 percent less, in fact. That creates room for other important things, like a bigger battery. So you have a notebook that weighs almost nothing and runs for hours on a single charge. That’s mobility mastered. Multi-Touch technology is part of practically every Apple product. It’s the best and most personal way to interact with your devices. And the optimal way to experience Multi-Touch on a notebook is through a trackpad. That’s precisely the case with MacBook Air. The trackpad’s spacious, all-glass surface doesn’t have a button because the whole thing is the button. And with Multi-Touch gestures in OS X Mountain Lion, you can interact with MacBook Air in ways that feel more intuitive and responsive than ever before. Anyone can try to make a notebook that’s thin and light. Success comes in doing it without cutting corners. That’s why MacBook Air features a full-size keyboard, not a condensed version of what you’re used to. When you type on the MacBook Air, it’s just as comfortable as typing on a desktop keyboard. And the keyboard is backlit, so you can type comfortably even in low-light conditions. A built-in sensor detects changes in the ambient lighting and adjusts the keyboard and display brightness automatically, giving you the perfect illumination in any environment. If you looked inside MacBook Air, you’d see something remarkable: how much space we devoted to the battery. That’s thanks to smaller components such as flash storage. And when the goal is to design the perfect notebook for everyday use, giving priority to the battery just makes sense. With MacBook Air, you can get up to 5 hours of battery life on the 11-inch model and up to 7 hours on the 13-inch model. Put MacBook Air to sleep for more than an hour, and it enters what’s called standby mode. That means you can come back to MacBook Air a day, a week — even up to an entire month — later, and it wakes in an instant. Time is on your side, courtesy of MacBook Air. MacBook Air features a unibody design for both the main enclosure and the display. Unibody construction means a higher-precision, less complex design with fewer parts. And that translates to a notebook that’s exceptionally thin and light, yet durable enough to handle the rigors of everyday use.

Economic Analysis of Crop Diversification Essay

There is a dramatic change in the earning, spending and saving pattern of the people of India in the post reform (economic) period that is post 1991. During this period, income generating mechanism in this country underwent massive changes. With a sustained economic growth, rising per capita income along with an ever increasing population, the dietary pattern in India is also changing very fast. The Indian food basket is diversifying in favour of high value food commodities like fruits, vegetables, dairy products, poultry products and fish products from staple food such as rice, wheat and coarse cereals. This raises a challenge to Indian agriculture. On the other hand the modern agriculture dominated by chemical and irrigation intensive farming system has not only raised productivity but simultaneously has also resulted in soil erosion, water contamination, pesticides poisoning, land degradation through water logging and soil salinity, depletion of bio-diversity, etc., forcing farmer s to apply ever-increasing doses of fertilisers and to make water supply available on a continuous basis, in order to maintain the productivity levels. This again raises another challenge to Indian agriculture. It may not be wondering if we assume that organic farming system may generate such situation to address both the challenges mentioned above. This paper is concerned with an analysis of crop diversification under organic and inorganic farming in West Bengal. Crop diversification is different from the concept of multiple cropping or succession planting over the growing seasons. Moreover, it implies the use of environmental and human resources to grow a mix of crops with complementary marketing opportunities. Thus, it implies a shifting of resources from low value crops to high value crops such as fruits, vegetables, etc. The concept of crop diversification in globalized market of agricultural produce refers to increase the total crop productivity in terms of quality, quantity and monetary value under different specific agro-climatic situations across the world. There are two approaches to crop diversification in agriculture. First is horizontal diversification, which is the primary approach to crop diversification in production agriculture. The approach takes place through crop intensification by adding new high-value crops to existing cropping systems. Thus, the approach facilitates the improvement of overall productivity of a farm or farming economy of a region. The second approach is the vertical diversification. Under this approach, farmers and others add value to products through processing, regional branding, packaging, merchandising or other efforts to enhance the farm-product. The opportunities for crop diversification may vary depending on risks, opportunities and the feasibility of proposed changes within a socio-economic and agro-economic context. However, crop diversification through substitution of one crop or mixed cropping / inter-cropping may be a useful tool to mitigate problems associated with aberrant weather to some extent, especially in the arid and semi-arid drought-prone / dry land areas. Impact of crop diversification Crop diversification is intended to practice of growing more than one crop (or enterprise) in any year to increase financial and biological stability of the farm. In the agricultural context, diversification can be regarded as the re-allocation of some of a farm’s productive resources, such as land, capital, farm equipment and paid labour, into new activities. These can be new crops or livestock products, value-adding activities, provision of services to other farmers, etc. On the other hand, diversification of agriculture refers to the shift from the regional dominance of one crop to regional production of a number of crops, to meet ever increasing demand for cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fruits and vegetables, etc. It aims to improve soil health and a dynamic equilibrium of the agro-ecosystem. Crop diversification takes into account the economic returns from different value-added crops. Crop diversification can better tolerate the ups and downs in the market value of farm produ cts and may ensure economic stability for farming families of the state. The adverse effects of aberrant weather, such as erratic and scanty rainfall and drought are very common in a vast area in agricultural production of the state. Incidents of flood in one part and drought in the other part are a very frequent phenomenon in the state. Under these aberrant weather situations, dependence on one or two major cereals (rice, wheat, etc.) is always risky. Diversification in agriculture has tremendous impact on the agro-socio-economic condition and uplifting resource-poor farming communities. It generates income and employment for rural youth year round for the ultimate benefits of the farmers in the state. It implies the use of local resources in a larger mix of diverse cropping systems and livestock, aquaculture and other non-farm sectors in the rural areas. Problem statement The yield as well as farm income is the essential part for crop diversification for the farmer of an agricultural based economy like West Bengal. Normally, the farmers diversify farm enterprises to meet the cash requirements of the family and to mitigate risk associated with mono-cropping, depending on conventional wisdom over the years. The crop diversification in the state is also considered with greater emphasis from the view point to price response, market infrastructure, availability of resources and public interventions (price and credit policies of farming business, research and development in farming activities, etc.) in agriculture. The judicious crop mix has facilitated increased farm incomes. It has also contribution towards the utilization of under employed resources to mitigate seasonal and under unemployment of rural labour force. The crop diversification has also helped to reduce risks and uncertainties in crops yields due to climatic and biological vagaries. Thus the study was conducted to analyze the extent of crop diversification at different levels of farm size as well as crop growing seasons in West Bengal for both inorganic and organic farming systems, commonly followed by the farmers in the state.

New Information on How to Become a Perfusionist

New Information on How to Become a Perfusionist If you’re at a party and telling someone what you do for a living, saying â€Å"I’m a perfusionist† might lead to some interesting conversations. â€Å"A percussionist? Like in a band?† â€Å"A perfectionist?† But while not everyone may know what a perfusionist does exactly, rest assured that this is an essential role in the healthcare world. What Perfusionists DoIf you’re not familiar with the career path (yet), here’s the elevator pitch: perfusionists operate a heart-lung machine during surgery, keeping oxygenated blood flowing through the patient’s heart and body while the surgeon operates, and monitoring to make sure the patient maintains a consistent body temperature. It doesn’t get much more intense or life-saving than that- this is not a career for the weak of heart. Perfusionists are highly trained clinical professionals who assist surgeons and physicians in cardiovascular surgery, but also any surgery that requir es cardiopulmonary bypass to maintain the patient’s vital signs during the procedure (including correction of heart defects, chemotherapy treatments, and emergency trauma cases).If you’re looking for a healthcare career that calls for a steady hand and nerves of steel, and you’re willing to commit to the education and training necessary to be one of these highly specialized professionals, it could be a great career choice for you.The BenefitsIt’s lucrative. Perfusionists are a high-paid bunch; the median salary for these professionals is $109,773.It’s stable. Perfusionists are a mainstay in the clinical healthcare world- one of the strongest (and continuing to grow) fields around right now, due to an aging population facing widespread cardiovascular issues and diseases. Because of the specialized training and education perfusionists need to have, this is not a field where people come and go frequently.It doesn’t require an advanced degree. T o become a perfusionist, you need to have a bachelor’s degree, but can complete a training program/certificate rather than a getting a master’s. However, you can go on to get those advanced degrees in perfusion and cardiovascular studies after working in the field, if you want to develop your expertise.It’s a cutting-edge field. With technical advances improving surgical equipment all the time (including the heart-lung machines used to maintain patient stability during open-heart surgery), this is a field where the tech-minded can work with the most modern technology. Perfusionists can also go on to the equipment development field, refining and implementing new technologies to improve heart surgery and patient care.The Qualifications You’ll NeedAs a perfusionist, you should expect to meet these requirements:A bachelor’s degree in a medical or science field (such as chemistry, biology, medical technology, etc.)Completion of a perfusionist certificat e or master’s degree, which includes clinical trainingStrong anatomical knowledgeFamiliarity with surgical technologyIn addition, perfusionists have a very specific set of skills:Extremely detail-orientedStrong organizational skillsAbility to remain calm in emergency situations and throughout long surgeriesFamiliarity with the related perfusion/surgical equipment and the ability to troubleshoot as necessaryHow to Make Your DecisionIf you have the skills to become a perfusionist, you should think about whether this is the career path for you.Are you willing to work a 40-hour week, plus night/weekend/holiday shifts as necessary to accommodate being on call for surgery?Do you have the attention to detail that is required to maintain a person’s basic life functions while they’re in surgery?Do you handle crisis situations well?If you don’t have the level of undergrad science experience or advanced study in perfusion under your belt, are you willing to commit t o a certificate or degree program?Are you mechanically inclined and able to work with sophisticated medical equipment with the right training?Are you willing to do ongoing training for recertification and staying on top of current medical technology trends?If the gut check says â€Å"no† on any of these, then perhaps a different healthcare path would be better. But if you’re willing to embrace what can be a high-pressure, fast-moving medical career, then it might be the right option for you.The Final OutlookIf the job meets your requirements and you meet the job’s requirements, this is a solid choice to make for the future. Because perfusionists are becoming more involved with procedures outside of the traditional heart surgery (like fixing congenital heart defects, treating heart disease, and chemotherapy). It’s also a career path that has great potential for perfusionists who eventually want to move out of the operating room. Trained perfusionists can b ecome educators, equipment developers for private medical companies, or even medical equipment sales representatives. It’s a career path with a lot of different options for those willing to commit.

9 Ways of Saying Down in Spanish

9 Ways of Saying Down in Spanish Down is one of those simple, everyday words that can be especially challenging to translate to Spanish. One reason is that it can function as five parts of speech: most commonly an adverb, but also as a preposition, verb, noun and adjective. But even within those categories, theres no consistent way of translating the word. In many cases, the best approach to take in translation is to reword the English and then translate that. For example, if you try translating a sentence such as Im down to only one dollar word-for-word, youll find yourself confused at best. Instead, try using the verb quedar, often used to indicate a remaining quantity. The idea is expressed with Me queda sà ³lo un dà ³lar, which literally means Only one dollar remains for me. Down as the Opposite of Up That said, in many contexts - such as when down means the opposite of up and indicates motion or direction - it is possible to use the adverb abajo, either by itself or in combination with other words, or the related verb bajar, which typically means to go down. This includes most cases where down is functioning as an adverb. Some examples: When I look down I feel dizzy. Cuando miro para abajo me mareo.The accident left him paralyzed from the neck down. El accidente lo dejà ³ paralizado desde el cuello para abajo.The Bilbao Market has gone down 22.72 points at midsession. La Bolsa de Bilbao ha bajado 22,72 puntos a media sesià ³n.Its essential that the roots grow downward in order to maximize the absorption of water. Es esencial que las raà ­ces crezcan hacia abajo para que maximizar su absorcià ³n de agua.Gravitational force pulls the satellite downward. La fuerza gravitatoria tira del satà ©lite hacia abajo.We have to get down from the train at the border. Tenemos que bajar del tren en la frontera.Everyone from the governor down is immersed in a web of corruption. Todos desde el gobernador para ajabo estn inmersos in una aurealoa de corrupcià ³n.Another possibility for adventurers is to camp down in the canyon. Otra posibilidad para los aventureros es acampar abajo en el caà ±Ãƒ ³n.The temperature went down fro m 30 degrees to 20 degrees. La temperatura se bajà ³ de 30 grados hasta 20 grados. I prefer to sleep face down. Prefiero dormir boca abajo. Down as an Adjective When down functions as a adjective in English, it often has a specialized meaning that depends on the context. Youll usually be best off recasting the English before translating: The wireless network is down today. La red inalmbrica no funciona hoy. (Literally, the wireless network isnt working today.)She knew he was down with the flu because she called him twice. Sabà ­a que à ©l estaba enfermo de influenza porque ella le llamà ³ dos veces. (Down here is being used as roughly synonymous with sick.)Were down 10 points. Estamos perdiendo por diez puntos. (Literally, were losing by 10 points.)Its a shame that he is always down on himself. Es lstima que à ©l se menosprecie a sà ­ mismo. (The phrase to be down on someone is a colloquial way of indicating that someone devalues someone.)They have me down for 2 p.m. Tengo una cita para 2 de la tarde. (Literally, I have an appointment for 2 p.m.)The down payment normally is a percentage of the price of the house. El pago inicial normalmente es un porcentaje del precio de la casa. Down as a Particle Down is a part of many English phrasal verbs - verbs that are made up of a verb followed by down to form a phrase that has a meaning separate from the verb by itself. To translate, these two-word verbs must be learned separately just as any other vocabulary. Here are a few of many possible examples: My mother isnt going to back down so easily. Mi madre no va a recular tan fcil.The bar was shut down for not meeting safety requirements. El bar fue clausurado por no cumplir las medidas de seguridad.He bowed down before the statue. Se inclinà ³ ante la estatua.The Iowa woman burned down a friends house because she defriended her on Facebook. La mujer de Iowa incendià ³ la casa de una amiga porque la eliminà ³ del Facebook.The government is cracking down on illegal arms sales. El gobierno toma medidas enà ©rgicas contra la venta ilegal de armas.My cousin is unable to  hold down a job. Mi prima no puede durar en un trabajo. (Literally, my cousin is unable to last in a job.)The mayor played down the murders. El alcalde no le dio tanta importancia a los asesinatos. (Literally, the mayor did not give much importance to the murders.) Down as a Noun The down of a bird is typically referred to as el plumà ³n, although a down pillow is referred to as una almohada de plumas. The down of a fruit is known as la pelusa. In football, a down is usually un down. Down as a Verb As a verb, down usually refers to shooting something down from the sky. A good verb to use is derribar. The Soviets downed the plane with a simple attack.  Los sovià ©ticos  derribaron el avià ³n  con un simple ataque.   Down Syndrome The congenital condition is known as el sà ­ndrome de Down, sometimes abbreviated as SD. (Sources: Sample sentences are adapted from a variety of sources written by native Spanish speakers. Among those consulted for this lesson are 20minutos; Twitter conversations; Biologà ­a y Geologà ­, Ciencias pra el uno Contemporneo; Visià ³n Santigueà ±a; Tatoeba; Namancambre Tours; Finanzas Prcticas; Yahoo.mx and TN.com.ar.)

Is Taiwan a Country Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Is Taiwan a Country - Research Paper Example Taiwan Island is separated from mainland China by the Taiwan Strait and borders the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea to the south, the East China Sea in the north, and the Pacific Ocean in the west (Wikipedia, 2006a). The perennial debate over â€Å"independence† versus â€Å"unification† in Taiwan is a case in point. This paper discusses some facts with respect to the question of whether Taiwan is an independent country or not. Though Taiwan has a distinct boundary of its own, the United States and most other significant nations recognize one China and thus include the boundaries of Taiwan as being part of the boundaries of China (Rosenberg, 2006b) Taiwan is home to almost 23 million people, making it the 48th largest "county" in the world, with a population slightly smaller than North Korea but larger than Romania (Rosenberg, 2006b). Over the past few decades, the average age of Taiwan’s population has increased by 1.8 percent. The population is one of the criteria for an independent country and since people live in Taiwan on an ongoing basis satisfies this criterion. Education is compulsory and Taiwan has more than 150 institutions of higher learning. Taiwan is home to the Palace Museum, which houses over 650,000 pieces of Chinese bronze, jade, calligraphy, painting, and porcelain. In the past few decades, Taiwan is recognized as a growing economy. It has become one of the newly industrialized countries (NICs). In 1983 the GNP of the country approached US$50 billion and its per capita income reached US$2,444. Taiwan is one of the top 15 trading nations. Taiwan has gained in terms of its economy but has substantially waned in terms of its international status (Weng, 1984). Besides, Taiwan is an economic powerhouse - its one of the four economic tigers of Southeast Asia (They have included South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong.). Its GDP per capita is among the top 30 of the world.     

Domestic Or Foreign Firms In China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Domestic Or Foreign Firms In China - Essay Example Remuneration packages and salary increases Wang, Chen, Hyde and Hsieh (2010) recruited a sample of 260 different employees working within multi-national corporations in Shanghai in the semiconductor industry to determine the potential relationship between intention to leave and pay systems at the firms. The questionnaire instruments utilised for the study provided results that pay satisfaction was the most significant method for satisfying employees and reducing turnover intentions (Wang et al. 2010). Offering wages that were higher than the competitive environment within other firms substantially increased Chinese employees’ organisational commitment. Cotton and Tuttle (1986) support these findings, indicating that HR strategies involving the development of remuneration and bonus packages greatly improved organisational commitment and, hence, reduced employee intention to leave the organisation. Even though not all companies have the financial resources available to offer hig h quality remuneration packages, there are opportunities for even smaller Chinese firms to use some sort of monetary incentives in a culture that legitimately values the importance of pay. The study conducted by Cotton and Tuttle (1986) illustrates that pay values are significantly important for Chinese staff members, a phenomenon which has endured into contemporary Chinese businesses. Another study conducted by Ming, Zivlak and Ljubicic (2011) engaged a sampling of Chinese employees in the fashion retail sector. Research findings indicated that 78 percent of respondents cited pay dissatisfaction as the primary motivator for wanting to leave the organisation. Turnover rates at the four different organisations were between 26.69 percent and 36.45 percent (Ming et al. 2011),... This paper stresses that the majority of contemporary HR strategies being utilised in Chinese firms are largely successful. Establishment of participative leadership practices gives employees a greater sense of ownership and value within the organisation, causing them to remain committed and dedicated to the organisation. Coupled with the establishment of autonomous working environments provides the same motivation and dedication which has the opportunity to reduce turnover ratios. This report makes a conclusion that the most fundamental finding of the research is the shifting dynamics of manager-employee relationships that confounds the traditional model of management in which there is ample power distance. Giving employees more communications, information and opportunities to share their opinion and innovative solutions better satisfies Chinese employees, whether a product of adopting Western models of business management or whether as a product of an evolving and liberalising culture. The engagement quality between managers and employees cannot be under-emphasised and more HR leaders should be training managers and developing communications systems that provide for a more decentralised environment. The only potential hindrance to active HR policy in China, as illustrated by the research, is the extent to which autonomous working systems have been established and implemented. Stress and anxiety as two potential outcomes of working independently of management control should be major concerns for HR managers in China attempting to reduce turnover through policies allowing for self-sufficiency and self-evaluation.