The strategic analysis of Oil and Gas Company named as British Essay

The strategic analysis of Oil and Gas Company named as British Petroleum (BP) - Essay Example This report provides insights about the present and future marketing strategies that are designed by the company as a result of pressure from several environmental forces. In this regard, the paper is primarily divided into different sections. In each section, strategic performance of BP has been measured through general analytical techniques which include PESTEL, SWOT, BCG Matrix and Ansoff Grid. At the end, recommendation, suggestion and future strategic option for BP are mentioned with respect to the analysis discussed above. Strategic Analysis of British Petroleum Introduction British Petroleum is considered as one of the largest international oil and gas companies. It serves its customers by providing them energy for light and heat, fuel for transportation purpose, petrochemical products and retail services for day to day use. In business realm, BP is widely known for its active participation through the approach of vertical integration in all the areas of fuel industry except extraction and excavation of oil and refining distribution power. Lately, BP has participated in increasing options for renewable energy resources. The reasons is the wide spread phenomenon which says that at the end of this century, all the fuel reserves and deposits will be wiped out (Britsh Petroleum, n.d.). Operations of BP are spread in 80 different countries. Around 4 million barrels of crude oil are produced each year which make BP the market leader of its industry. Possessing the largest market share, BP is the first company which released the information that within the next twenty years, the future demands of energy is most likely to be increased by 50%. BP has also stated that 80% of this demand is expected to be met by fossil fuels (Britsh Petroleum, n.d.). The business model of BP is to create value across the entire value chain. The value chain starts from the process of exploration and ends at supplying fuel and energy related products to customers for everyday use. The objective of the company is to create value for supplies of energy and to shareholders in a responsible and safe way. They aim of the company is to be a safety leader, responsible corporate entity, world class operator and an excellent employer (BP Annual Report , 2011). The company operates two major busines s segments which include Refining and Marketing, and Production and Exploration. Through these business segments, company strives to focus on developing and producing required sources of energy and transforming these sources into products that can be useful to fulfill the needs of people. Projects of BP help in generating employment, tax revenues and investment in countries all over the world. The company is committed for demonstrating responsible behavior, building lasting relationship and meeting obligations. The head quarter of the company is located in London, U.K whereas the operations of BP are spread across US, Europe, Russia, Canada, Australasia, Asia, some parts of Africa and South America . Core Brands of BP The most renowned brands of BP include: Source: (BP Annual Report , 2011) Values of BP Values of BP are segmented into three broad categories: What BP does? Delivers energy and fuel to the world What BP stands for? BP states that the company is deeply concerned about h ow the energy and fuel are delivered to the world. What BP values? Safety Excellence Respect Teamwork Courage Mission Statement of BP The mission statement of BP states that: â€Å"Our function is to provide safe, efficient and environmentally responsible marine and shipping solutions for the BP group† The mission statement of BP signifies that the core functions of the organization are to provide efficient, safe

The Cruise Ship Industry Effects Essay Example for Free

The Cruise Ship Industry Effects Essay 1. (a) Critically evaluate the impacts that the cruise ship industry has on destinations. (b) Suggest recommendations that can be used to minimize or mitigate the problems Identified in question 2a. 1. Critically evaluate the impacts that the cruise ship industry has on destinations. The Caribbean represents the main market for the cruise industry. As a major destination, the Caribbean cruised has been activated since early 1980, and has identified itself with the cruising industry over the years. While there are clearly benefits to be gained from cruise ship visits, there are also issues which destinations must consider, in order to optimize benefits and reduce negative impact, ( Manning, 2006). The main challenges encountered by activating the cruise ship industry in the Caribbean are as followed: environment challenges, maintaining market share and growth patterns, the concentration of the cruising industry, the increase in ships capacity, congestion, natural disasters, diversification of the product offered and competition with hotels, (Dridea et al, n.d). Environmental Impacts The environmental impacts of the cruise industry may be positive or negative. This industry may encourage an appreciation of the environment, and generate support and funds for environmental protection, but it can also degrade the marine and adjacent terrestrial environment. The environmental costs of the sector are incalculable given that the cruise ship industry is unregulated and difficult to gauge widely its impacts, despite enforcing environmental standards for the industry. For example, the introduction of the cruise shipping Port Facilities in Falmouth has posed negative impact on the environment. Mott Macdonald (2007) postulates that the major impacts expected from the development of the Port Facilities in Falmouth includes: loss of habitat and biodiversity such negative impacts are a major concern to Jamaican coastal areas where the reefs are already stressed from a number of anthropogenic and natural threats, loss of fish habitat widening of the entrance of the channel will partially remove the reef wall which is a primary habitat to Bermuda Chub .The potential exists for disruption to fish habitat, spawning and feeding grounds and possibly fish migratory routes. This represents a direct long-term adverse impact to the fish community on the reef and in the harbour. Other environmental impact includes: †¢ Loss of Coral Cover †¢ Ecological Impacts ( its associated flora and fauna) †¢ Increased fresh water runoff due to expansion of paved area †¢ Increased potential for oil spills Economic Impact The cruise industry has the potential to provide economic benefits to a port state. These economic benefits arise from five principal sources: 1) spending by cruise passengers and crew; 2) the shore side staffing by the cruise lines for their headquarters, marketing and tour operations 3) expenditures by the cruise lines for goods and services necessary for cruise operations; 4) spending by the cruise lines for port services; and 5) expenditures by cruise lines for the maintenance. The cruise industry has provided the highest economic contribution for the United State Virgin Island, according to the survey conducted by the U.S.-based organization Business Research and Economic Advisors (BREA) during the period of 2005-2006 cruise year , it was concluded that the total cruise tourism expenditures in U.S. Virgin Islands summed up to $362 million. St. Maarten had the second highest per passenger spending rate and the highest expenditure rate, resulting in $246 million in cruise tourism expenditures. However, over emphasis on the economic benefits derived from tourism has often led to adverse physical and social consequences. The reason for this is the simple fact that, as tourism development and tourist activity expands, so too does the potential harm, social impact and potential for human induced harm and disturbance to destination residents and the environment (Jackson 2006). Kenneth (2003), also concur with Jackson that even though the cruise sector has opened up an opportunity for heavy use and instantaneous cash flow from short term but intense use, this had added pressure onto land-based facilities, resulting in congestion, scheduling and control problems, which have affected visitor satisfaction which will result in decline cruise visitors. Other experts in the field agreed with the statements mention above that as the cruise ships continue to grow larger, further investment may be required. Under these types of tourism scenarios with high infrastructure or environmental costs, rapid growth of tourism may result in a stagnation of or even a decline in GDP (Gooroochurn et al (2005); Nowak et al (2003) and Nowak et al (2007). Social impacts Interactions between resident and cruise passengers can have positive effects offering residents the possibility of learning about the world and explore new life perspectives. The largest social issue for a destination is people pollution; increasing cruise activities restrict the space of residents and sometimes push them to adopt different moral conducts. Suggest recommendations that can be used to minimize or mitigate the problems Identified in question 2a. In order for a destination to minimize or mitigate the problems associated with the cruise industry they need to follow in the ‘footsteps’ of the Eastern Canadian, with the introduction of cruise ships into that environmentally sensitive areas of the Eastern Canadian Arctic raises many concerns. However, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) introduced a set of principles, when implemented, could help in the protection of the Arctic and its environment from negative effects caused by tourism. I concur with Kenneth Atherley (2003), that in order to minimize the added pressure onto land-based facilities, resulting in congestion, scheduling and control problems, which have affected visitor satisfaction. Countries need to implement the strategy of Bermuda which placed a cap on cruise tourism, this strategy outline that not more than two (2) ships should be at the Port at one time, and each passenger have to pay $60 head tax, ships operating in their water must employ Caribbean nationals, pay US$1.5 million towards an education fund; each passenger must have a US$30 voucher at the ship’s expense. Additionally, another way to solve the problems associated with the cruise industry in the Caribbean region lies with the tourism policymakers; they need to work collaboratively with all stakeholders, with the ultimate goal of maximizing the benefits derived from tourism, while at the same time minimizing costs/negative impacts. They can also implement carrying capacity strategies which aimed at maintaining the balance between social and ecological monitoring programs. Other strategies to mitigate the negative impact caused by the cruise industry is to monitor and evaluate the impact of cruise tourism on the natural, social and cultural environment in order to ensure the conservation of the resource base; continuously assess the carrying capacity of the existing attractions and services used by the cruise visitor, and develop mechanisms for the management of these sites on a sustainable basis. Encourage the enhancement of existing attractions and facilities and the development of new ones; establish and manage strong relationships with the cruise industry to ensure mutually beneficial outcomes; develop appropriate programmers which effectively convert cruise passengers to long stay visitors. References Dridea R. and Mihai., B (n.d). The Impact of the Cruising Industry on Local Destination Retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/doc/13728721/ Gooroochurn N. and Blake A., (2005). Tourism Immiserization: Fact or Fiction? Feem Working Paper No. 143.05. Fondazione Eni Enrico Matei. Jackson, L. A. (2006). Ameliorating the negative impacts of tourism: a Caribbean perspective. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 18 (7), 574-582. Retrieved from Emerald Database. Kenneth A. (2003). Cruise Industry–Related Challenges Facing Caribbean Destinations. Retrieved from http://www.linkbc.ca/torc/downs1/CaribbeanCruiseIndustry.pdf Manning T,( 2006), Managing Cruise Ship Impacts: Guidelines for Current and Potential Destination Communities. Retrievied from http://www.tourisk.org/content/projects/Managing%20Cruise%20Ship%20Impacts.pdf Nowak J.J., Sahli, M. And Sgo, P. (2003). Tourism, trade and domestic welfare, Pacific Economic Review, 8 (3), pp. 245-258. Nowak J.J.,. and Sahli, M., (2007). Coastal tourism and â€Å"Dutch diseases† in a small island economy, Tourism Economics, 13 (1), pp. 49-65.

Marketing: British Airways Group

Marketing: British Airways Group The assignment focuses on analyzing summarizing and comparing two companies which deals in same sector or industry with a marketing aspect. The purpose states that the study of the module Marketing Management needs to be implemented in virtual front by providing meaningful process to the company chosen and revise the value proposition. The assignment is divided into step-by-step parts towards preparing a plan for the organization under study. British Airways- Company profile British Airways is the airline company of the United Kingdom. It has its headquarter in Waterside which is near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport and as found it is the biggest airline of UK on the record basis of number of international flights and international destinations it has. Its second hub is London Gatwick Airport. As per the research it found that The British Airways Group was formed on 1 September 1974. BA was formed by the merger of two large London-based airlines, British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and British European Airways Corporation (BEA), and two much smaller airlines, Cambrian Airways Cardiff and Northeast Airlines Newcastle upon Tyne. BA according to the research was found as the only two airlines to operate the supersonic Aerospatiale-BAC Concorde inaugurating the worlds first supersonic passenger service in January 1976. BA became the worlds most profitable airline following its strategies under the slogan The Worlds Favorite Airline. Rather it was earlier Boeing customer. The formation of Richard Bransons Virgin Atlantic Airways in 1984 began a tense relationship with BA. The main activities of British Airways Plc and its subsidiary undertakings are the operation of international and domestic planned air services for the deportment of passengers, freight and mail and the facility of ancillary amenities. (uk.reuters.com 2010) Franchisees  · Comair: based in South Africa, franchisee since 1996.  · Sun Air: based in Denmark, franchisee since 1 August 1996. (uk.reuters.com 2010) Customer Value It is the difference between what a customer wants from a product and what he or she has to give in order to achieve it. ( Business dictionary.com 2010 ) Customer Value proposition A customer value proposition is described as a business or statement of marketing that describes why would a customer buy a product or service he wish to use. It has been targeted towards the potential of customers rather than other consisting groups such as of workers, stakeholders or suppliers .It is designed for the customers to convince their self to one particular product or service which will add more value ( Business dictionary.com 2010). Types of CVP 1.All Benefits Sometimes most managers formulates customer value proposition which includes all customers benefits which can be fulfilled by them by offering different types of offers to meet customer needs. It requires them a hard work to keeping records about customer needs and competitors in the market ( Ogle,2010). 2. Favourable Points of Difference The second type of value proposition which includes all alternatives in which customers focus includes different types of products and services offered by others. It provides the customers with the best of its offers just to attract them without having the proper knowledge about what the customer is demanding but they try to fulfil their customer need( Ogle,2010). 3. Resonating Focus This is a very important aspect as it focuses on the value proposition having differences to an all benefits position of companies leading a value proposition for the customers .Resonating is the point which deals with the standard of the value proposition and it should be at its highest level .By this method the manager wants to do the business with the marketers who has the proper knowledge about the customers need and delivers the customers value proposition at the market capturing level ( Ogle,2010). Importance of value proposition A good customer value proposition is a method of convincing the customers to buy their products other than buying the competitors and find it different from others .This method has been used to grasp the attention of the customers and increase the sales at large scale which will help in increasing the market shares. To promote the product it has been always important to understand customers need . It is profitable in building a brand association that help in providing offers to the customers (Ogle, 2010) Three Key Dimensions Active vs. Reactive value Extrinsic vs. intrinsic value Self-oriented vs. other-oriented value As per the research on the British airways customer value proposition it has been found that : Effect of British airways on customers mind It has Strong brand name and brand image good reputation in market as well as customers mind Reliability of British airways BA Key Messages is to provide the consistency in providing good service Reliability in providing best quality of offering Safety and security Safety and security are key priorities for British airways. It follows the formal management system for the security which ensures with all relevant rules and regulations that are must be followed. British airways is into a system of operating a inclusive monitoring system to ensure that all incidents are reported before they occur and necessary action been taken. HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customer_value_proposition l cite_note-Lake-1Question 2. The requirement of the question speaks about the two companies to be selected of the same industry which can be compared on various aspects particularly marketing strategy on a global scale; I have chosen the following two companies: British Airways Virgin Atlantic airways The reasons for selecting these companies are: The value proposition of both the companies can be compared and differentiated based on their marketing assets. Both the companies are intense competitors in the business of airlines and in providing superior quality of services to the customers Virgin Atlantic Airways- Competitor Company Profile Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited (operating as Virgin Atlantic) is a British airline owned by Sir Richard Bransons Virgin Group (51%) and Singapore Airlines (49%). It is headquartered in Crawley, West Sussex, England, near London Gatwick Airport. It operates between the United Kingdom and North America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia from main bases at Gatwick and London Heathrow Airport, using a mixed fleet of Airbus and Boeing wide-body aircraft (innovationaleaders, 2010). We all experience customer service, without even understanding it. The only time youre likely to poster is when it surpasses your potentials, or it doesnt meet them! Pleased customers are more likely to commend you to others. Customer Service is clearly a main part of any businesses corporate plan to recall and attract clients. Effective Customer Service is critical in portion a business to meet its planned sales intentions whilst meeting their client potentials through exceptional customer service. CRITICALLY EVALUATING CUSTOMER VALUE PROPOSITON OF BRITISH AIRWAYS British airways as being on the top of the chart of airlines industry to maintain its standard it has acquired several innovative ideas which have left certain impression on customers mind. British Airways is comparatively strong from a financial point of view and have a good reputation in comparison to other companies in the airlines industry, and it has positioned itself on the top leveled service provider but still it is facing some problems in satisfying the customers completely. BA provides it customers with affordable price flight ticket and spends to that level which delivers the minimum performance for the ante ( for example: providing nuts and soft drinks to the customers),Yet on the other hand BA maximizes its marketing by spending more effectiveness by removing ineffective spending on the ante that pushes the performance but does not leads to any change in customers behavior ( for example: BA dont provide the customers with hot meals on short flights). British airways has redesigned its cabin into truly flat bed which are up to the best comfort of the customers and it helps in attracting more customers in business class at a time when other airlines merely increased leg room or seat width but to really rule in the filed of airline BA should also try to provide more innovative facilities for lower class customers too as they are being their regular customers. BA provides its customers with its key priority of security for which it has operated different security system specially for its customers safety. In order to profitably satisfy customer needs, an organisation must understand its external and internal situation including the customer, the market and its own capabilities. MARKETING MIX OF BRITISH AIRWAYS Product Strategy A product is characterized as anything that been offered to a party to another party in return of something. As we talk about BA, it provides its customers with different types of services like booking their tickets online, choose the sitting of their choice and meals of customer choice.BA provides the quality of compensating the customers at the time of cancellation of their flight tickets (123helpme, 2010). Pricing Strategy Pricing strategy is the overall task of defining the price range and price movement through the time period given to support the organizational fund and profit gaining objectives. BA holds a different type of pricing strategy in its two sectors of airlines short-haul and the long-haul , it provides its customers with tickets at affordable price. It has different price standard for different categories of flights but with same quality of service. BA has the special system for optional product pricing charged for optional extra guaranteeing a window seat or reserving a row seats next to each other (123helpme,2010). Place This heading refers to distribution. This means all aspects that focus on to how the goods and services should move from the producers to the end user. This means the coordination of retailers and/or wholesales and in the case of products the logistics involved in moving from factory/warehouse/head office, to the end user.BA has its main head quartos in U.K only. The airline hovers to above 550 destinations internationally and is measured to be a leader in the business. BAs prices depend on fluctuations in oil prices which it cannot control (123helpme, 2010). Promotion It is refers to as advertising or promoting a product, brand or industry to gain profit and expand the business. British Airways launched an advertising campaign to promote the trial of its First and Club World services. BA gives a lot charity and launches exhibitions for the funds for the needy ones. BA provides training programs and provides the students with the scholarships for their better future (123helpme, 2010). On a preliminary note it is important to understand the concepts of Mission and Vision for a particular organization. The difference between Mission and Vision statement is a Mission statement contains the information of the company in a nutshell about its products and services to customers while a Vision statement offers the future perspectives of the company or organization, the purpose or broader goal for being in existence or in the business. (Difference between, 2010) Mission and Vision Statements of the British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are discussed below Mission statement of British Airways There is no official mission statement from the companys website instead the social blogs have various statements out of which the best one chosen To be the undisputed leader in the world of airlines for the next millennium Vision statement of British Airways- The Worlds Favorite Airline Mission Statement of Virgin Atlantic- Safety, security and consistent delivery of the basics are the foundation of everything we do. Vision statement of British Airways- To grow a profitable airline, where people love to fly and where people love to work Analyzing and comparing the Mission and Vision statements of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic The mission and vision statements of British airways seems to be in the line of business as both focus on world class operations not just local or domestic functioning, hence it is recommended that being a company which caters large scale audience/customers British Airways has to focus on its principles of functioning to achieve its vision. As far as Virgin Atlantic is concerned, nowhere it mentions about the functioning and catering the audiences of the world, it is known fact that Virgin Atlantic is more of a British nature and caters or prefers services priority to British audiences hence it needs to change its mission and vision statement which though is appealing but doesnt come in the line of business. Competitor Analysis The airline sector is more competitive today than it was before in the past, provided now days consumers with more choice and with affordable prices than ever before due to the emergence of low-cost airlines. British Airways operates within two strategic groups within the airline sector the short-haul and the long-haul. Each of these sectors has different competitors. One group consists of airlines with regional operations offering scheduled flights and comparison on costs. The other group focuses on offering long haul flights, with great quality of environments and services to a wide range of destinations. Which makes BA to participate on a large scale at global, European, national and regional level. Within the UK, BA is the largest carrier in the market accounting for 45.1% of passengers with Virgin Atlantic being the second largest carrier in the market with 9.2% market share. It is also likely that long-haul licenses will be granted to low-cost airlines which will enable them to compete in both .This was originally a major cause for concern for British Airways and they initially set up Go-fly to be able to compete with its new competitors Virgin Atlantic. However, it later decided t o focus on its core business and sold Go to Easy Jet in 2002. For example, regional competitors such as Virgin Atlantic have entered the market offering European flights from local airports in Wales. .Virgin airlines change in strategy will have direct effect on BA as they continue to attract customers for their high quality standards. Another strategy that seems to be emerging amongst traditional carriers is to reduce fares in order to become more competitive with the low-cost airlines.BA also has to consider the indirect competitors. New planes, new routes, additional flights and management changes are all factors that impinge a business. Such changes made by a competitor need constant monitoring in order for BA to examine its current position and develop future strategies. Virgin Atlantic has best online reputation as compared to British Airways that effects the working of the British airways. CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS AND OUTCOMES This model talks about the services and quality promised to the customers and the service and quality the customer receives. It is very important for any company to understand the importance of its customer needs for its development and building a brand image. BA is a well-established company and holds a very good reputation in the markets with filling the need of their customer through the terms and conditions they have promised to their customers. The strength of BA lies with the satisfaction of its customers but in certain cases it is failed to satisfy its customers according to the promises been made, issues which have affected the reputation of BA are like not delivering hot meals in flights or not delivering meals at all in short flights. These certain issues has disappointed the customer expectations from BA . Therefore, from the model above which emphasis on the bond between the company offering and delivering to their customers, so it is found that customers are not receiving the quality of services which are been promised by BA .(Ogle, 2010) Question 3. Answer: Using Piercys Value Proposition Model the above question can be solved Piercy (1997) identifies 4 relationships to be considered when managing market-led organizations. Figure 1.1: Key relationships in market strategy (Source: based on Piercy, 1997) It identifies the key relationship-marketing issue as the refocusing of marketing effort: moving activities away from a marketing mix that creates a series of one-off transactions, to managing a complex network of relationships involved in the production of the whole consumer offering. Customer Analysis Shaw (2004) addresses what the most fundamental and commonest mistakes made in airline marketing failure to make a proper distinction between the Consumer and the Customer. Consumers are the ones who actually travel and it is significant that BA consider customers importance, as they are the decision makers of the organization. This is very important aspect for both consumer as well as industrial markets. BAs customers differ extremely in terms of their buying behaviour. Not only do they differ in terms of their age, income, educational levels and geographic location but more fundamentally in BAs case in terms of their lifestyles and potentials which are unfair by several factors. BA also deals in an industrial market where changes in buying behaviour are showed by the reserve of BAs purchasing policies, delivery dates and expected 7 This means using smaller airports, not allocating seats, making passengers pay for refreshments and not issuing tickets. The majority of these decision s are made by a group of individuals working to a set of purchasing criteria, known as the Decision Making Unit (DMU). The mission statement is defined as the key to success and meeting the customer needs on a short span of time and it requires to be changed every year preferably. We now discuss about developing a mission statement, developing vision statement and value statement. (ba.com, 2010) New mission and vision of British Airways Mission Statement : Modernise aircraft fleet and offer new services managing at cost base. Vision Statement : Increase corporate responsibility through environmental performance and partnerships. Developing a Mission Statement Mostly, the mission statement states the overall objective of the organization. If the company decides to develop its vision statement before developing its mission statement it should not affect its working as both means the same and in the vision turns into mission for the company. Improving a mission statement can be done in a fast way by having proper discussion , different experience and should have survey about having different mission with working team of the organization. Study any changes that may be required in wording of the mission statement can leads to any new suggested strategies during a recent strategic planning process which can affect its working.( Managementhelp, 2010) Creating New Value Propositions In order for a company to move to an unique position on the value frontier, it must change its strategies. Value propositions can be changed along four dimensions (price, place, product and promotion) to achieve one of the four strategies which alter positions on or of the value frontier (extending toward the low-end, toward the high-end, and shifting the frontier). First, a company must identify which of the four strategies is appropriate. Extending the frontier toward the low-end is worthwhile if the low-end frontier point in a specific industry can compete with the high-end point in another industry (e.g., low-cost air travel competing with buses) or if customers would be interested in a product/service of lower performance at a lower price. Extending the frontier toward the high-end can be considered when the high-end in a specific industry can compete with the low-end point in another industry (e.g., high-quality prepared pasta competing with restaurants) or when there are customers willing to pay for more performance than what is currently available. If neither option makes sense, then shifting the frontier is the only alternative. This has traditionally been the basis of market competition. Changing value propositions to achieve such frontier changes rely on changing one or more of the four dimensions. Managers need to think of innovating ways to reduce price, risk, and efforts as well as to address the multiple roles customer play, such as having customers co-create some of the work. So now we will focus on transforming product performance by suggesting generic ways of changing product/service attributes. Desired attributes are those most often already delivered in another customer segment, but unreachable at the price point of customers who also desire them. Technological innovation is the most common lever for bringing down the price points to deliver such attributes to a new market segment. For instance, British Airways started providing individual color screens to every economy class passenger when matrix display technology got advanced enough to lower the costs sufficiently. One way to elicit these attributes is to find out what performance level customers would ask for if they had unlimited resources. What service could be delivered to them? And are there any ways to provide some of these services at a more reasonable price (e.g. British Airways adding beds to airplanes). So to answer these question British Airways must improve it. (Source: archive.nyu.edu, 2010) Improved value proposition of British Airways Upgrade customer experience via the introduction of text and mobile services for business class customers as well as regular customers and maintain low price for all types of services. Defining/ Implementation of the Plan Value Propositions and Value Frontier The first step in the process is to define the value frontier. This is fairly easy to do. Managers must first identify what their competitors offer in terms of performance and cost. A value frontier extends from low-cost substitutes to fulfill a specific need (automobile or railway vs. aircraft) to high-end embellishments that are currently offered at high prices and define superior performance . Thus, we ask managers to consider ways of fulfilling core needs beyond the ways currently offered in their industry segment. This is a critical first step in identifying new strategies. Once the value frontier is defined, what are the value propositions of the companies along the frontier? What are the performance, price, risk and effort attributes across customer roles that define the companies on the frontier? Defining the value proposition of different locations on the frontier allows managers to elicit key attributes for differentiation. It also forms the basis for comparing the companies value propositions with a competitors. It should avoid price related struggles and should adopt policies which comprises of low prices. Good communication channels should be adopted in order to avoid confusion about the services been provided to the customers. Better quality of technology should be use to entertain the customers in flight. Should not promise the customers to deliver the services which are cannot be fulfilled. BA should provide its customers with hot meals in all kind of flights. It reflects good impression on the customers. BRITISH AIRWAYS SHOULD ADOPT NEW MARKETING MIX Suppliers, shareholders, customers and employees are not rivals for the battle for profits they are partners, and will be more successful once they learn to work together. (Egan and Thomas, 1998) NEW MARKETING MIX FOR BRITISH AIRWAYS On the basis of status financial British Airways is relatively stable to other companies in the air transport industry, and it has positioned itself as a best service provider. It has formed alliances with other carriers, and has already segmented its market successfully. The best strategy for the BA is to follow the strategic plan it has made and monitor that all of its activities support that strategic focus. Product strategy Product is always been the most important aspect for the organizations success. It needs to be advanced and achieve very careful in order to be successful. British Airways product strategy comprises of good quality services, quality of flights leads to various destinations through Europe and rest of the world. It has executive class, business class, speed, security, support facilities and having experience of several years. To satisfy its customers should it provides them with their basic need to other alternatives too and fulfill their demands. Pricing strategy Pricing strategy followed by British Airways is Price Discrimination. There is a condition of price war between different airline companies as the new breed of airlines, the so called low cost airlines is growing fast. The most successful among these low cost carriers are Southwest Airlines (USA), Ryan air (Ireland), easy jet (UK). So British Airways should adopt the policy of low price. Promotional strategy British Airways launched an advertising campaign to promote the trial of its First and Club World services. As part of the campaign, British Airways is offering new members of its Executive Club Canada frequent flyer program free economy class tickets for two to a global destination in exchange for their opinion about their flying experience in First Class or Club World this will help in attracting customers. Place British Airways working globally should focus on its key destination countries and should adopt such policies to meet the demands of its customers on time. CONCLUSION British Airways remains cautiously optimistic about its future prospects. However, it is certain that considerably more work lies ahead if the airline is to succeed. Rising prices could place BA in a disadvantageous position, particularly given the continued popularity of budget airlines. This is an important factor for BA to consider. BA must understand that the key growth area for BA is likely to be in value-added travel. In some areas, BA found that it could improve customers experience while reducing costs, such as in its building up of online sales. Overall, BA must continue to strive to reduce costs and improve customer and employee satisfaction. List of References 123HELPME 2010, Product Strategy of the British Airways [Online] Available at: http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=121683 [Accessed on 05 December 2010 ]. Business dictionary 2010,customer value [online] Available at:http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/customer-value.html [Accessed on 06 December 2010]. Business dictionary 2010, value proposition [online] Available at: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/value-proposition.html [ Accessed on 05 December]. ba.com 2010 (Official Website) Available at: www.ba.com[Accessed on: 30th November]. Difference between (no date), Difference Between Mission and Vision [Online] Available at:http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-mission-and-vision/ [Accessed on 06 December 2010]. Innovation leaders 2010, Profile: virgin atlantic [online] Available at: http://www.innovationleaders.net/va_company_profile.html [Accessed on 05 December 2010]. Karnbil , A.1996, Re-Inventing Value Propositions[online] Available at: http://archive.nyu.edu/bitstream/2451/14205/1/IS-96-21.pdfhttp://archive.nyu.edu/bitstream/2451/14205/1/IS-96-21.pdf [Accessed on 06 December]. Ogle, D, 2010. Types of Customer value Proposition BD415031S Marketing Management. Anglia Ruskin University, Unpublished. Ogle, D, 2010. Importance of value proposition BD415031S Marketing Management. Anglia Ruskin University, Unpublished. Ogle, D, 2010.CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS AND OUTCOMES BD415031S Marketing Management. Anglia Ruskin University, Unpublished. Reuters 2010, Profile: British Airways PLC (BAY.L) [online] Available at: http://uk.reuters.com/business/quotes/companyProfile?symbol=BAY.L [Accessed on 06 December 2010].

Essays --

Today, college sports are no longer just fun and games; these sports are a business. But this business comes with a price. Arian Foster, a running back from the Houston Texans has recently come out stating that he took money on the side while playing football at the University of Tennessee. Fosters reasoning to why he took money on the side was that he was a college athlete who sometimes had no money to eat, "I really didn't have any money or food at times.. Our stadium had like 107,000 seats; 107,000 people buying a ticket to come watch us play.. We had just won. Signing autographs, taking pictures. Then I walk back, and reality sets in. I go to my dorm and open my fridge and see there's nothing there." (Rockwell) Foster argued that employees should be paid for their work and that he saw nothing wrong in what he did. He states that he was just a college athlete trying to get buy, trying to pay his bills and have food on the table. These college students are working for the schools a s athletes; they are putting their health on the line, providing revenue for the school and are working twice as hard as regular students at the school so they should not be punished for taking what the NCAA considers to be improper benefits. Firstly, in accordance to the rules set by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, also known as the NCAA, an extra or improper benefit can be described as any special treatment or arrangement by an employee or a representative of the institution that provides the student-athlete a benefit that is not given to the other students of the institution and that is not authorized by the NCAA. The rule book goes on to say that â€Å"if the student-athlete receives an extra benefit not authorized by the NCAA legislation ... ...aybe shoes or even a free meal. In conclusion, â€Å"being a student athlete is tough because one represents the school, and the way one carries oneself will say a lot for one’s self and one’s school program. Being an athlete is not just playing the game, it is more like a job,† (McCleod). At the end of the day, whatever brings in money should be compensated accordingly, for any business. These student-athletes do not have to receive million dollar contracts but the universities and the NCAA should not punish these students for accepting improper or extra benefits whether it is from fans, employees of the institution, or recruiters. These athletes are not only students, but they are employees to their universities, they do not necessarily need to receive monetary value for their playing but being punished for accepting benefits that they earn and deserve is outrageous.

Essay – Big Fish

Big Fish M Krause 02/27/13 Production: Columbia Pictures, 2003 Producer: Bruce Cohen/Dan Jinks Director: Tim Burton Screenplay: Daniel Wallace (novel), John August (screenplay) Cinematography: Philippe Rousselot Editing: Chris Lebenzon Music: Danny Elfman Principal Characters: Ewan McGregor Ed Bloom (Young) Albert FinneyEd Bloom (Senior) Billy CrudupWill Bloom Jessica Lange Sandra Bloom (Senior) Helena Bonham CarterJenny (Young)/Jenny (Senior)/The Witch Alison LohmanSandra Bloom (Young) Robert GuillaumeDr. Bennett (Senior) Marion CotillardJosephine Bloom Matthew McGregoryKarl the Giant David DenmanDon Price (Age 18-22) Missi Pyle MildredLoudon Wainwright IIIBeaman Typical of Tim Burton films, Big Fish is full of interesting elements of fantasy, exaggerated reality, and other time periods or worlds. Most interesting is how Tim Burton seems to always use such separate elements and weave them into films with great continuity, the same is true for Big Fish. Through creative use of narrat ive advancement, period costuming, and two complete casts of characters (one playing the younger versions and one playing the older versions of people) Burton is able to tell the story of Ed Bloom and his crazy life which is chock full of tall tales and interesting people he met along the way.While there was no shortage of bright colors and oddball characters typical of Burton-esque mise en scene (Danny Devito as a werewolf for example), there was more of a story to Big Fish than found in other films by this director. In an article from 2004 critiquing what was at the time the newest in the Tim Burton library of films, author Beth Deters stated â€Å"With Big Fish, curiously enough, the opposite holds true — story prevails over images. The narrative proves far richer than the visual style that depicts it. † (Beth Deters, Worldpress).Honestly, viewing the film twice might not be enough to understand every element and catch every thread of symbolism in this film, the goo d thing is that Big Fish is entertaining enough to watch multiple times, especially if you are a fan of Tim Burton. The screenplay is effective even with all of the jumping around from present day to the past and is only enhanced by spectacular editing and symbolism. Even with the fantasy elements and symbolism intertwined, the story has a great relaxed flow to it, one reviewer stated â€Å"Since this is a film about tall tales, the structure is quite different from Burton’s other work.You never know when or where the story is going to go next, which is part of the film’s charm. †(Arran McDermott, www. timburtoncollective. com) The main protagonist of the film is of course Edward Bloom. He is, in a way, constantly trying to entertain everyone around him with his tall tales and means no harm to anyone in doing so, however through his storytelling, he unintentionally drives a wedge between himself and his son. Edward is also by far the roundest character of the fi lm.Even though his whole life, it seems Edward Bloom has done many acts of kindness for strangers and friends alike, his own son cannot appreciate him the way he should. Throughout this film, we see much character development for young and old Edward Bloom – from a young man who becomes the hero of his town to a family man and finally to his deathbed and beyond. We understand his view of the world through watching his struggles and experiences along the way. Edward Bloom literally is Big Fish. There is no real defined antagonist in Big Fish, however, society/expectations/external forces could all be antagonists in this film.For example, after Sandra and Edward finally get together as a couple, Edward is shipped off to the war and has to fight his way back to his love along with the help of two very colorful, Asian Siamese twins all the while Sandra thinking he is dead. He needs to overcome that obstacle to make it back to Sandra and continue along in his life. Even before tha t after he sees Sandra for the first time, Edward is forced go to work for Amos Calloway in the circus in order to even find out more about his love and how to contact her, this is another antagonist in his way. The foil in this movie is Edward Bloom’s son Will.He is judgmental against his father, yet in the end turns out to be the most like him in the whole movie. Throughout much of the film, Will dislikes and purposely doesn’t tell stories in a rebellious act toward his father (it seems). Even Edward himself says to Will’s wife that it was good that Will had never shared with her the story of how he met Will’s mother because â€Å"He would have told it wrong anyway, all of the facts and none of the flavor†(Edward Bloom, film). Will’s dry, serious character provides a stark contrast to Edwards colorful one and his fantastical stories.The most telling fact about these two is that Will turns out to be a writer, albeit at first a reporter, but a writer nonetheless. This is also the underlying principal conflict in the film, father vs. son, fantasy vs. reality and it is only resolved by the character of Will doing some digging about the stories to understand his father better and discovering the threads of reality interwoven into the fantasy stories he has been told since he was a child. He never appreciated his father until he was almost gone and by the time he realizes his mistake it is almost too late.To the contrary, an example of a confidant and a fairly static character (besides becoming pregnant in the course of the movie) is Josephine Bloom. She, unlike her husband, enjoys the stories that Edward tells and believes there is more truth to them than her husband is giving them credit for. The town of Spectre is an example of foreshadowing in the film Big Fish. When Bloom first comes across Spectre, it is a town which is almost ethereal (read Heaven-like), there are no roads just soft grass and no one wears shoes. It is then described that he arrived at this town â€Å"too early†.The next time we see Spectre, it has become gloomy and dark and is falling apart. Edward takes it upon himself to buy up the town and â€Å"fix it†. The contrast between Spectre’s downfall and Bloom’s bad health represents how one would right themselves religiously to prepare for heaven and foreshadows the idea that Edward passes on by the end of the film. It is also stated in the film that after Edward left Spectre, he never returns and â€Å"the story ends where it began†(Jenny-Senior, film). Additionally, Spectre is described as â€Å"feeling so strange, but so familiar† which is what could be interpreted by the mainstream what Heaven is believed o like. There are two mise en scenes in this movie, there is one in the present day which is typical of any generic film with present day clothing and normal camera tones and backdrops. There is also the mise en scene of the fantasy world which seems to be filmed using a brighter, overexposed film to show the difference. The clothing being worn by the characters in the fantasy world are brighter, the characters themselves are stranger, and the backdrops of a different time period. There is a stark contrast between the two and that plays into part of the story.The two are only tied together in the end during the funeral scene when Karl the giant, the Siamese twins and various other characters from Edwards past come to pay their respects. One scene in particular has a great deal of symbolism, both implied and spoken, it is also one of the most beautiful of the film. When Josephine and a senior Edward are speaking of the first time Edward sees his love, he describes time standing still – in this moment in the film, Edward is at the circus and spots Sandra from across the room. Everything freezes (literally) just as is being described) the scene shows everything stop†¦except Edward Bloom.He then moves t oward his love, even pushing popcorn which is stopped in mid-air and literally walking through (read jumping through) hoops to reach his love. And then just as he is about to reach her, time starts up again and moves even faster (again just as he is describing), and she disappears. The symbolism of Edward stepping through the hula hoop to be interpreted as â€Å"jumping through hoops† is so important and beautiful. The literal interpretation was so amazing and unexpected, the viewer could see literally what falling in love was like.The music is particularly effective in this movie, almost in an expected way. Too much music could have been overpowering, but there was just enough and timed correctly throughout the film. From Buddy Holly in the middle of the film when Edward is going to find his love, to traditional â€Å"end of the movie† music, to the ending credits with Pearl Jam (a soundtrack can’t get more poignant than Pearl Jam). The soundtrack really added another dimension to the film and increased its likeability and made it easier for the viewer to relate.The editing in this movie was spot-on and it had to be with all of the back and forth between two worlds and two sets of characters. The movie seamlessly weaves together both the stories and provide a flowing, continuous story which keeps the viewer entertained from the first scene describing â€Å"The Beast† (film). The pacing has a smooth, even keel to it – Burton somehow manages to keep the viewer at the edge of their seat, sometimes literally leaning forward in anticipation, while still keeping a calm feel throughout the entire film.The pacing of the film literally charms the viewer into accepting the images on the screen. The transitions in this film are especially magical, starting with something reality based and moving to a fantasy element, repeat. Each perfectly timed and taking the viewer back in time tell one of Edwards fantastical stories, one more magica l than the last until the grand finale where the transition isn’t even anticipated because the son takes over the storytelling (Will).Another aspect, the cinematography, is flawless and best described in this quote â€Å"Director Tim Burton uses cinematography to create a believable fantasy world. With bright colors and flawless shots, viewers feel as if they are in a dream. This other worldly feel helps viewers imagine that the events could actually be true. †(www. bookrags. com[->0]) . Big Fish transports the viewer to Edward Bloom’s imagination and makes even the craziest ideas seem tangible such as escaping from the war with Siamese twins or saving a town by befriending a giant.What a fabulous film to view as a final selection. Visually beautiful, emotionally moving, and thought-provoking. Works Cited Big Fish. Tim Burton. Columbia Pictures. 2003. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Big_Fish http://jordanfogerson. wordpress. com/2012/02/28/tim-burton-narrative-st ructure/ http://yaledailynews. com/weekend/2004/01/16/tim-burton-doesnt-quite-reel-in-a-big-fish/ http://www. bookrags. com/films/bigfish2003/styleandcinematography. html http://www. timburtoncollective. com/bigfish. html http://www. imdb. com/title/tt0319061/? ref_=fn_al_tt_1 [->0] – http://www. bookrags. com

General Belisarius - Byzantine Military Hero

General Belisarius - Byzantine Military Hero This profile of Belisarius is part ofWhos Who in Medieval History   Byzantine Military Hero Being the leading Byzantine general during the reign of Emperor Justinian I. He won significant battles against the Persians and Ostrogoths, suppressed the Nike Revolt, and served his emperor with unstinting loyalty. Occupations: Military Leader Places of Residence and Influence: Byzantium (The Eastern Roman Empire) Important Dates: Born: 505Takes back the city of Rome: Dec. 9, 536Died: March, 565 About Belisarius: Belisarius served in Justinians bodyguard and earned a command in his mid-twenties. After distinguishing himself in several battles against the Sasanian Empire, he returned to Constantinople, where he quashed the Nike Revolt. Next he scored notable victories against Germanic peoples in his quest to win back Italy for Justinian. His subsequent successes against the Ostrogoths were overshadowed by political difficulties. He fell out of favor with the emperor and only his wifes friendship with the empress saved him. His later years were spent in relative peace. Find out more about the generals life and achievements in your Guides Concise Biography of General Belisarius. Myths About Belisarius: A great deal of misinformation was generated about Belisarius centuries after his death. One notable story had him blinded by Justinian and wandering the streets as a beggar. There is absolutely no truth to these stories, but they have served as the basis for epic tales, novels and plays. More Belisarius Resources: Concise Biography of General BelisariusGeneral Belisarius on the Web BelisariusConcise overview at Infoplease.Gothic War: Byzantine Count Belisarius Retakes RomeComprehensive overview of the Byzantine generals attempt to retake the city of Rome from the Goths, by Erik Hildinger at Military History magazine, online at TheHistoryNet. ByzantiumMedieval WarfareMedieval Military Leaders QuizChronological Index Geographical Index Index by Profession, Achievement, or Role in Society The text of this document is copyright  ©2007-2016 Melissa Snell. You may download or print this document for personal or school use, as long as the URL below is included. Permission is  not  granted to reproduce this document on another website. For publication permission,  please   contact  Melissa Snell. The URL for this document is:http://historymedren.about.com/od/bwho/p/who_belisarius.htm