Marine Finance and Insurance - Coursework 3 Essay

Marine Finance and Insurance - Coursework 3 - Essay Example In this specific case, no duty rate is given. 7Capital venture evaluation or capital planning is principally worried about gradual incomes along these lines deterioration ought to be added back to show up at the anticipated income from tasks, in light of the fact that there is no real money outpouring for devaluation (Brigham, et al, 1999). 3The limited incomes are the subsequent incomes in the wake of applying the expense of capital which is 14% or , anticipated income during the year/(1.14)t, where t speaks to the time or nth year, 1 is steady, and .14 or 14% is Tower’s cost of capital. To show: Discounted Cash Flow for the main year is figured as: 2,890,000.00/(1.14)1. For the subsequent year, it is, 6,370,000.00/(1.14)2, etc until the 6th year. We will utilize the limited incomes in figuring the limited restitution time frame and the productivity file or PI (Gapenski, et al, 1999). Customary Payback Method. This technique for evaluating speculation tells the quantity of working years expected to recoup the underlying venture or money expense. It is the quantity of years required until the gathered money inflows will equivalent to the measure of the underlying venture. The specific recompense time frame is processed utilizing the recipe: Payback = Year before full recuperation + (Unrecovered Cost toward the beginning of Year/Cash Flow during the Year). On the off chance that the capital is recuperated inside the most limited conceivable time, at that point this is useful for the organization (Brigham et al 1999). On the off chance that the recompense period is not exactly the companys required restitution period for the venture, the proposition is acknowledged, else it is dismissed. Nonetheless, this strategy doesn't consider huge incomes or benefit after the compensation time frame. In this way, this couldn't be a sound reason for settling on the benefit of the speculation (Bucklery 1996). For Towers, it will take 3 years before full recuperation of proposed venture, absolute amassed inflows

What major problems did European States face in the fourteenth century Essay

What serious issues did European States face in the fourteenth century - Essay Example The number of inhabitants in Europe had diminished by a half when the fifteenth Century set in when contrasted with the mid 1300s. The issue of this Black Death plague influenced Europe in that there was deficiency of work since littler parts of land were under development. Because of the lack of work the serfs got a vantage position when it came to haggling their wages since they were sought after. In response to this, the administrations attempted to control the wages by fixing them. Nonetheless, this was all futile since the pickle of work deficiency kept on enduring. Serfs would essentially offer their administrations to the proprietors who might be prepared to pay higher wages instead of the individuals who adhered to the framework set by the legislature. Various workers required the society’s rebuilding and there was the requesting of a touch of vote based system just as the stoppage of noble benefits and rights. After the excusal of these requests for a superior way of life by the honorability there was an incredible misfortune as respects the ordinary citizens. There was disaster wherever in Europe and along these lines the Rebellion in France and England in years 1358 and 1381 separately were only a sad remnant of the genuine article. All the uprisings were not a triumph. The detachment of the estate way to deal with farming began because of the uprisings, however. The land lease framework dominated and the ensuing time frame after that had the peasant’s opportunity perceived. The framework is still there in the everyday Europe. Be that as it may, the interest by the workers to claim their property came about to a great deal of relocation to different territories like Australia, Russia, Americas and Africa. Land was rarely satisfactory and in this way sharing it among children would prompt choices that were not monetarily possible. High compensation levels prompted an ascent in expansion levels and for endurance purposes the little business and assembling classes made an endeavor to keep up the position that

What Makes Your Corporate Identity Unique (Hint Its Not What You Think)

What Makes Your Corporate Identity Unique (Hint It’s Not What You Think) How many logos of famous companies are you able to draw? Probably quite a few since these visual representations of the company have become a core part of our daily lives as the products themselves. We are constantly surrounded with different visual cues about businesses â€" videos, images and website templates are part of our lives.But how do companies ensure their corporate identities or these visual representations of their business are correct and authentic? Let’s explore what corporate identity is, the biggest mistake you can make thinking what separates the best from the rest, and what is actually behind a strong and unique corporate identity. WHAT IS CORPORATE IDENTITY?Let’s first be clear what corporate identity is before we start analyzing how it can be unique. You can’t truly create something unique unless you know what you’re creating in the first place. If you look up ‘corporate identity’ in the Business Dictionary, you find the following description:“Combination of color schemes, designs, words, etc., that a firm employs to make a visual statement about itself and to communicate its business philosophy.”Quite simply, your corporate identity tells you and others what your business is all about â€" the specifics that make you different from all the other businesses out there. The dictionary definition goes on to state,“corporate identity is ‘out there’ sensory-experience conveyed by things such as buildings, décor, logo, name, slogan, stationary, uniforms, and is largely unaffected by its financial performance and ups and downs in its fortune”Your corporate identity can essentially be either a s trong on â€" creating instant recognition among consumers â€" or a weak one. However, as the above suggest, this doesn’t necessarily always mean your business itself is doing bad or well in terms of its profit-making ability. Corporate identity is a physical expression of the essence of the company.However, as I’ll explain later, it shouldn’t see completely separate from the other representations of the idea of the business â€" what the company is about should also be highlighted through the communication and behavior of the business.Furthermore, corporate identity shouldn’t be seen as a layered structure. The internal and external representations of what the philosophy must be same â€" the customers have to experience the same corporate identity to the employees and other stakeholders.The idea of corporate identity and the need for businesses to develop their own unique voices is not a recent phenomenon. It developed as a concept in the 1960s when the corporate landscape ch anged from individual industrial companies to multi-national corporations on a global scale. It became more important for a business to stand out from competition â€" there had to be identities that told consumers the kind of story or business ethos they are buying into.By the 1970s, the concept of corporate identity was on everyone’s lips and advertising consultants became a core part of business development. The idea of a strong and unique corporate identity became central to corporate planning and successful implementation of corporate identity strategy was considered a major reason some companies succeeded while others failed.Below is a video of how Virgin developed its corporate identity under Richard Branson. This is great for getting a grasp of what corporate identity is and prepares you well for what I’m about to say in the following chapters. THE SINGLE REASONS YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT ITSo, why does corporate identity have such a hold on people’s imaginations? Why are b usinesses willing to spend money on creating a corporate identity?There is essentially only one reason a business should care about corporate identity and that’s performance. A Strategy survey back in 2013 peered into the world of corporate identity and made a series of interesting findings. For instance, according to the respondents, developing corporate identity strategy is problematic because most companies have too many strategic objectives. But the key finding in terms of corporate identity was how companies with a strong corporate identity outperform those without one by 25%.While your financial performance isn’t always directly linked to your corporate identity, by ensuring you have a clear identity, you create a strong base for succeeding and growing.If you think of the biggest and most successful companies, you instantly think about their strong corporate identities â€" Apple, Coca-Cola and Google have all been rather good at creating a visual representation of their bu siness philosophy and made it stick with us.When you scratch deeper, you notice that the ability to outperform comes from the three big advantages a strong corporate identity will provide for a business. These can be divided into three key benefits:Enhanced consumer loyalty â€" A good corporate identity boosts performance because it can keep customers more engaged with your business. Customers have their own identities and a good corporate identity speaks to those in a way that aligns these two separate stories or philosophies together. The corporate’s emphasis on sustainability in a sea of other identities that are about something else can help consumers with like-minded ideas to stick with them. Customers who subscribe to your corporate identity will feel part of the story â€" they don’t want to conduct business elsewhere.Strengthened corporate experienceâ€"There is also an emphasis on the whole corporate experience when companies focus on building strong identities. You align not just the external images with the company philosophy, but also the behavior and communication of the message. The consumer doesn’t just experience the identity by looking at the logo but also feels the identity when shopping the products, contacting customer service or using the product or service. Corporate identity can help create a strong and strategic approach to conducting business.Structured corporate personaâ€" Every business benefits from having a specific corporate person, which is essentially what corporate identity is about. It’s the impression we have when we hear about a business â€" shaped by what we’ve experienced and what we’ve heard. Just like you have an impression and persona build about your friends and family, you’ll also have corporate personas in mind when you think about your favorite brands.It is these three building blocks that help a business compete and to stand out in the crowd. By creating a strategic approach to implementing your busines s ethos, you strengthen the areas that contribute to performance â€" you obtain and retain customers better, you streamline your services to provide better service, and you help build a reputation.THE BIG MISTAKE TO AVOID WITH CORPORATE IDENTITY Source: Gismodo blog postWhy is it then that businesses often fail in creating successful corporate identities? It happens when the definition of corporate identity is taken to mean purely the visual statement of the business philosophy and most importantly purely equated with the logo. Too often businesses are transfixed with the logo, with purely the visual design and feel of the logo at the core of their attempt to be unique.What’s forgotten is the core message â€" the reason why your logo represents your business. If you’re doing corporate identity right, you will always align your behavior and communication, together with the visual representations, with your business philosophy. You need to have the “what we are” sorted before you can move on to “how we look visually”. By focusing on the logo, you’re not focusing on ensuring the corporate identity tells the story of your business â€" you’re just creating an image without a story or behavior.Furthermore, it’s a lso harmful to focus purely on the logo when your business will be represented visually in so many more ways. When you visit Apple’s website, the corporate identity isn’t just evident in the logo â€" in fact, you don’t really even encounter the logo as a focus point on the pages. The corporate identity of Apple is much more than just a logo.Think, for example, how TV shows sometimes need to remove logos from laptops for sponsorship reasons. When you tape out the image of the half-bitten apple, you don’t forget the computer is an Apple product. You can see it from the way the product is designed.The same applies to most businesses with a strong corporate identity. You could remove Coca-Cola’s logos from its bottles, website and even ads, yet you’d still know it’s that specific brand and you’d know the story, the philosophy. If I put a blindfold on you and take you to a fast-food joint, you’d know we’re at McDonald’s even if the traditional logo of the golden M o n a red background is removed.Corporate identity goes wrong when people simplify it to a single image â€" when we compress identities into a single representation. But you can’t and you shouldn’t narrow an identity, right? Businesses are a bit like people; we couldn’t create a stamp of our identity and think it’s going to work every time.A logo alone is insufficient in telling a story and representing our corporate ethos â€" identity is about how we look (not just our clothes, but also our makeup), how we talk, how we behave and how we align all of these.The big mistake to avoid with corporate identity is treating these three things as separate and hoping to create an identity simply through a single representation: a logo.HERE’S WHAT ACTUALLY MAKES YOUR CORPORATE IDENTITY UNIQUEIf you want to create a unique corporate identity, then you must focus on aligning the three key areas of corporate design, corporate behavior and corporate communication together â€" you need to e ssentially create a package of visual statements that are sprung from the business philosophy and which relate to the other aspects of your company. You move on from staring at the logo, to truly realizing what your identity is about.To nail down your corporate identity and to find the authentic voice that tells and visualizes your business idea, you need to ensure the three areas are not in conflict with each other. Now, let’s look at each area closer and see how each aspect helps build your authentic voice:Corporate designCorporate design is exactly what most people mistakenly equate with corporate identity. It is about the logo â€" the visual images you use for your business. Corporate design deals with business cards, website templates, font colors and other such visual representations of your business. It is crucial for corporate identity because it is often the first thing people see and interact with. When you search for shoe retailers, you click on the website and the logo is often the first thing that stares back at you.It is the immediate part of corporate identity and it does have a huge impact on how customers view your business. While the logos and other visual images are crucial in creating this first impression, they aren’t the only things that you should focus on, as the above has hopefully highlighted. Nonetheless, a corporate design is the core of your corporate identity and the starting point for creating the visual image for your business.Corporate behaviorHowever, your corporate identity is also strengthened through your behavior. Corporate behavior includes things like how employees are treated and the leadership styles the management uses. These and others like that refer to the internal behaviors, but corporate behavior can also be driven by external behaviors such as how you treat customers, what is your relationship with the media and so on.These behaviors can impact your corporate identity and help the corporate design have an im pact. For example, if you maintain an open and honest relationship with the media, you can strengthen your corporate identity and create a brand based on transparency and communication.When the stories people read about your business are highlighting this image, the actual visual representation â€" your logos, your colors and your fonts â€" becomes associated with the behaviors. Your solid corporate design links with corporate behavior, creating a unique experience of your identity.Corporate communicationSimilarly to the above, your corporate communication â€" the way you speak to customers, advertise your business and interact with the media â€" has a strengthening impact on corporate identity. Your advertising slogan can enhance this transparent behavior â€" We believe in your right to know! â€" and be perfectly aligned with your clear logo.Communication will also happen in the form of your press releases or internally through things like staff meetings. If you can have these comm unication channels represent your business philosophy and deepen the behaviors within your organization, you have a direct impact on the identity.Essentially, you can’t just talk the talk; you also need to walk the walk. Communication must match your behavior and both of these have to match your corporate design. By aligning these three aspects together and linking them with your business philosophy, you can enjoy from a strong and unique corporate identity.You’re not doing something visually that you think appeals to customers, but rather representing your authentic voice as a business. You’re creating a more fulfilled representation of your business â€" the way it looks, behaves and communicates.HOW TO CREATE A UNIQUE CORPORATE IDENTITYSo, when you are looking to create a unique corporate identity that will stand out from the rest, you must focus on four key steps. These will help you align the three building blocks of a strong corporate identity and they ensure your focus i s on authentic and representative identity â€" not just a flashy logo.Step 1: Establish your unique value propositionThe first step deals with your business’ unique value proposition. It’s the most important question any business will ever be asked about: What is your company about? If you’re not quite sure how to answer that, then you definitely need to do a lot more soul-searching. You can’t start to run a successful business or form your own unique identity if you don’t know your brand.You definitely need to have a business plan, a mission statement and a vision for future. If these things are still lacking, you should get started by watching the below video and start finding the underlying cause and objective of your business. The whole idea of this first step is to identify the reason you’re unique. Not just in terms of how you differ from competition, but in your story and objective. A business hardly has the same objective as another business in the same industry â€" there is something there in your product, your service and your objectives that separate you from the rest.Before you can start building your corporate identity and begin the visualization of your business idea, you must be clear what this unique value proposition is about.Step 2: Establish your unique value propositionAfter you’ve cleared the basics, you must move deeper into understanding your business and the brand. You need to determine what’s your spot in the marketplace and who are the people that use your product and service.If you can analyze the most important drivers for growth, you can start identifying the ways in which your customers currently view your business.Knowing your brand will reveal your competitive edge â€" it will deepen your understanding of the current corporate identity and how it aligns with your business philosophy.Step 3: Set the correct toneNow that you have the building blocks for your identity, you start to visualize it â€" you find the voic e that represents your brand and your unique value proposition. Remember the following:Your brand’s voice must be distinctive from the competitors, it must resonate with your customers, and it has to be consistent in terms of your business values and objectives.Since you are now focusing on the corporate design â€" the logos, the colors, the social media templates and so on â€" your focus must be on finding the design that keeps the above in mind. You want to think about your customers and consider the kind of images, colors and fonts they would find visually attractive.These must be then considered in relation to your business philosophy â€" does it all fit together and create an authentic look and feel of your business?Step 4: Be prepared to analyze and refine your identityI was kind of lying earlier when I said there is one big mistake companies make with their corporate identity. There are actually two major issues businesses. The other, i.e. relying just on your logo, has now hopefully been solved with the tips above.However, the second is something different. It is about the failure to change or refine your brand identity. Businesses are terrified of this mainly due to a few famous examples of re-branding that didn’t work. Nonetheless, corporate identity shouldn’t be considered something set in stone and irreplaceable. Corporate identity develops over time, just like the competition around you.Just like you must be constantly looking to refine your products or service, you naturally also need to analyze and refine your brand. Since corporate identity is a culmination of the three elements, design, behavior and communication, changes in one of these means that there needs to be adjustments in the other two.Remember to constantly revisit your corporate identity and its building blocks to ensure your message is still aligned, it still resonated with the consumer, and it has stayed true to your business philosophy.As an example of small refining, look at the three logos. They have all held on to the distinct identity and feel, while still updating the look to something a bit more modern and perhaps refined in terms of what customers are looking for in today’s day and age. Source: Brand Matters websiteTHE KEY TAKEAWAYAfter you’re finished reading this post, you should have taken in the following information: your corporate identity does not equal to your logo. Unique corporate identity is much more basic than that â€" it’s the alignment of your business idea with how it behaves and communicates and represents itself visually.It’s about putting your business’ unique value proposition at the centre of everything you do. A good corporate identity is one where the visual statements tell the same story as the way the business behaves and communicates with its customers, stakeholders and employees.

The Life And Times Of Scott Fitzgerald - 766 Words

The Life and Times of Scott Fitzgerald How did Fitzgerald’s life and the time period influence his writing? The mastermind behind one of America s best and most revolutionary pieces of literature had a humble beginning. He was born on September 24, 1896 to Mary and Edward Fitzgerald of St. Paul Minnesota. As a child, the family moved back and forth between Buffalo and Syracuse New York, they were dependent on his fathers’ minimum wage jobs. Scott’s first piece of writing, a detective story, was printed in the school newspaper at age thirteen. After he graduated from high school, he choose to attend Princeton University for his higher education. However, during World War Two, to serve his country and prove his patriotism, he dropped out and joined the United States Army. Fitzgerald became fearful that he would perish during the war and hastily composed a short story. The Romantic Egotist however, was not a success, but the publisher encouraged him to continue to rework the book further. During training for the army, Fitzgerald met Zelda Sayre. He fell in love with her, however she was descended from an upper class family and would not accept a mere poor man’s love. World War Two was ended before he was deployed and Fitzgerald moved to New York to launch an impressive advertising career in order to entice Zelda to marry him. He soon abandoned his job and moved back to St. Paul to rework his failed novel. Eventually he came out with This Side of Paradise. The book turnedShow MoreRelatedThe Life And Times Of Scott Fitzgerald764 Words   |  4 PagesThe Life and Times of Scott Fitzgerald How did Fitzgerald’s life and the time period influence his writing? The mastermind behind one of America s greatest and most revolutionary pieces of literature had a humble beginning. He was born on September 24, 1896 to Mary and Edward Fitzgerald of St. Paul Minnesota. 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Greek And Roman Civilizations Greece And Ancient...

Greek and Roman Civilizations In examining the impact that the ancient world has had on modern Western civilization, the two ancient civilizations which are frequently understood as having had the greatest influence are Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. These two civilizations would eventually come to shape much of what would become the modern European culture, politics and society, and by extension, a vast proportion of global culture and society. In examining the trajectory of modern history in an era of globalization of Western ideas and modes of living, the importance of these civilizations in world history is extensive, contributing to cultural, political and social trends which may well dominate the globe in the future. This paper will compare and contrast these two civilizations concerning two of the major elements of society: government and religion. These two areas are important when examining the impact of a particular civilization, because they provide two different perspectives on a particular cul ture. While the examination of politics allows the power and influence of culture to be understood, the analysis of religion allows the cultural influence of people to be traced. In this paper, the similarities and differences between the governments and religions of Ancient Greece and Rome will be examined, as well as the impact that these civilizations had on one another. Finally, this paper will discuss the impact that these civilizations have had onShow MoreRelatedGreek And Roman Civilizations : Greece And Ancient Civilizations1503 Words   |  7 Pages Greek and Roman Civilizations In examining the impact that the ancient world has had on modern Western civilization, the two ancient civilizations which are frequently understood as having had the greatest influence are Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. 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Greece with their golden age and Rome with its great Empire and Republic and also together. Their are many ways in which western civilization is like the ancient Greek civilization. They started the Olympic games. Greeks come Greek And Roman Civilizations Greece And Ancient... Greek and Roman Civilizations In examining the impact that the ancient world has had on modern Western civilization, the two ancient civilizations which are frequently understood as having had the greatest influence are Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. These two civilizations would eventually come to shape much of what would become the modern European culture, politics and society, and by extension, a vast proportion of global culture and society. In scrutinizing the trajectory of modern history in an era of globalization of Western ideas and modes of living, the importance of these civilizations in world history is extensive, contributing to cultural, political and social trends which may well dominate the globe in the future. This paper will compare and contrast these two civilizations concerning two of the major elements of society: government and religion. These two areas are critical when analyzing the impact of a particular civilization because they provide two different perspectives on a particular culture. While the examination of politics allows the power and influence of culture to be understood, the analysis of religion allows the cultural influence of people to be traced. In this paper, the similarities and differences between the governments and religions of ancient Greece and Rome will be examined, as well as the impact that these civilizations had on one another. 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Second Language Aquisition Free Essays

string(350) " linguistic events into various classes that can be refined later; knowledge that only a certain kind of linguistic system is possible and that other kinds are not; and the ability to engage in constant evaluation of the developing linguistic system in order to construct the simplest possible system out of the linguistic data that are encountered\." Second Language Acquisition What is Second Language Acquisition? In second language learning, language plays an institutional and social role in the community. It functions as a recognized means of communication among members who speak some other language as their native tongue. In foreign language learning, language plays no major role in the community and is primarily learned in the classroom. We will write a custom essay sample on Second Language Aquisition or any similar topic only for you Order Now The distinction between second and foreign language learning is what is learned and how it is learned. Slide 2: Learning a second language requires: 1. formal language instruction in an academic setting; 2. nteractions with the second language outside of the classroom; 3. pedagogical practices, strategies and methodologies which facilitate second language learning (how); and 4. teaching the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing along with comprehension and thinking (what). Slide 3: The study of second language acquisition involves: 1. how second languages are learned ( the process); 2. how learners create a new language system with limited exposure (interactions); 3. language proficiency levels (competence and performance of the language); and 4. hy some learners achieve native-like proficiency. How Do Learners Acquire a Second Language? Learners acquire a second language by making use of existing knowledge of the native language, general learning strategies, o r universal properties of language to internalize knowledge of the second language. These processes serve as a means by which the learner constructs an interlanguage (a transitional system reflecting the learner’s current L2 knowledge). Communication strategies are employed by the learner to make use of existing knowledge to cope with communication difficulties. Slide 4: Learners acquire a second language by drawing on their background experiences and prior knowledge in their first language. They experiment with the second language by using features found in their first language which are similar to those in the second language. This dependence on the first language serves to help the learner construct an interlanguage, a transitional system consisting of the learner’s current second language knowledge. Communication strategies help the learners use what they already know to overcome breakdowns in communication. Slide 5: Individual differences affect second language acquisition. These differences may be developmental, cognitive, affective or social. There are factors that are fixed which we cannot control such as age and language learning aptitude. There are some variable factors such as motivation which are controlled by social setting and the course taken for developing the second language. Teachers need to know that variable factors are controlled through the learning environment, by knowing their students’ cognitive styles, their learning preferences, how they teach, and what they teach. Slide 6: There are many different types of learner strategies which teachers need to be aware of in order to understand the strategies children bring with them and how they learn best. Language learners may need to be taught strategies for relating new knowledge to prior knowledge, for organizing information more effectively and for seeking opportunities for communicating with target language speakers. Slide 7: Researchers identified a natural order of strategies for developing a second language. The order of development starts with the very simple imitation of a word or language structure, to self-talk, to self-correcting, and to role-playing. An awareness of this natural order can help teachers of second language learners plan lessons to facilitate language learning and increase the learners’ self-esteem and self-confidence. Slide 8: There are several theories of second language acquisition which have provided information on how second languages are learned. The Universalists studied a wide-range of languages to find out how languages vary and what makes them vary. They looked at language patterns, language universals (features of language which are common across many languages) as well as other properties of language. Slide 9: Universalists also claimed that language is acquired through innateness (nature) and that certain conditions trigger the development of language (nurture). The search for meaning is innate. Activities and instructional materials need to be presented in a meaningful, relevant and interesting manner in order to allow students to make language learning connections. Slide 10: Behaviorists claimed that learners learn by undergoing training and practice through a series of stimulus and response chains and operant conditioning. The environment provides the stimulus and the learner provides the response. According to the Behaviorist theory, reinforcement motivates the formation of a language habit. Behaviorist Theory (Continued) Theory When the learner learns a language, this learning includes a set of stimulusresponse-reward (S-R-R) chains. Imitation provides the learner with a repertoire of appropriate, productive responses. The learner learns to imitate or approximate the productive responses provided by the environment. The characteristics of human and non-human learners include the ability to: 1. 2. 3. 4. respond to stimuli in a certain way; intuitively evaluate the reward potential of responses; extract the important parameters that made up the stimulus response (positive reward chains); and generalize these parameters to similar situations to form classes of S-R-R chains. Slide 11: Language learning requires effort and practice. Behaviorists further claimed that learners imitate or approximate productive responses. For instance, learning how to write is not universal across cultures because some cultures do not have a history of written language, therefore learning how to write involves a conscious effort and specific training, as well as a willingness to learn by trial and error. Responding to stimuli in this instance is critical in order for writing to take place. Slide 12: Nativists claimed that language learning is biologically determined. Each person is born with an innate ability to learn language. The basic innate language learning capacities are referred to as the Language Acquisition Device (LAD). This view asserts that the environment only serves to trigger the Language Acquisition Device (LAD) which determines what children acquire. Children acquire much of their language ability before coming to school, thus supporting the innate structures argument. Nativist Theory (Continued) 1. 2. 3. the ability to distinguish speech sounds from other sounds in the environment; Theory McNeill (1966) described the LAD as consisting of four innate linguistic properties: the ability to organize linguistic events into various classes that can be refined later; knowledge that only a certain kind of linguistic system is possible and that other kinds are not; and the ability to engage in constant evaluation of the developing linguistic system in order to construct the simplest possible system out of the linguistic data that are encountered. You read "Second Language Aquisition" in category "Language" 4. Nativists have contributed to the discoveries of how the system of child language works. Theorists such as Chomsky, McNeill, and others helped us understand that a child’s language, at any given point, is a legitimate system in its own right. Slide 13: The Nativists also contend that learners actively construct grammar for themselves by actively listening to the language around them and trying to determine the patterns in the utterances. Learners progress through language in predictable stages. The learner will not respond to error correction if he/she is not developmentally ready. Slide 14: Cognitivists claimed that the conditions for learning language are the same conditions that are necessary for any kind of learning. They believed that human beings have the capacity for developing logical thinking. Acquiring knowledge is a cognitive process which involves automatic processing (rountinzed) and controlled (temporary) learning. Cognitivist Theory (Continued) Language Learning as a Cognitive Process 1. 2. Theory Learning a language involves internal representations that regulate and guide performance. Automatic processing activates certain nodes in memory when appropriate input is present. Activation is a learned response. Memory is a large collection of nodes. Controlled processing is not a learned response. It is a temporary activation of nodes in a sequence. Skills are learned and routinized only after the earlier use of controlled processes have been used. Learner strategies contain both declarative knowledge i. e. knowing the ‘what’ of the language-internalized rules and memorized chunks of language, and procedural knowledge i. e. know the ‘how’ of the language system to employ strategies. 3. 4. 5. 6. Slide 15: The Cognitive theory underscores the fact that the learner brings an innate mental capacity to the learning task. He/she also brings perceptions of relationships between what he knows and what he/she needs to know. Learner strategies are used for learning the rules of a language and how to use the language for different audiences and purposes. Theories of Second Language Acquisition (Continued Social Interactionist Theory supports the view that the development of language comes from the early interactions between infants and caregivers. Social interactionists stress: Theory the importance of a child’s interactions with parents and other caregivers; the importance of â€Å"motherese†; contributions of context and world knowledge; and the importance of goals Glew (1998) claims that learners have to be pushed in their negotiation of meaning to produce comprehensible output. The classroom context needs to provide adequate opportunities for target language use to allow learners to develop competence in the target language. Slide 16: Social interactionists believe that human language emerged from the social role that language plays in human interactions. They further believed that the environment plays a key role and that adults in the child’s linguistic environment are instrumental in language acquisition. Language learners need many opportunities for using the target language in order to develop competence. Slide 17: Social interaction is the key to language processing. Input from the social interactions provides a model for negotiation opportunities. Vygotsky (1978) believed that learners bring two levels of development to the learning: an actual developmental level and a potential developmental level. These two levels are referred to as the Zone of Proximal Development. Learners can move from actual development to proximal development through social interactions with others. Slide 18: Krashen proposed five hypotheses for second language acquisition. He explored the notion that acquisition is different from learning because one takes place in a natural environment while the other takes place in an academic setting. He further claimed that we learn language in a predictable order. Some language structures are learned earlier than others. The monitor is the self-correcting mechanism that learners use to edit what they say before they speak or write. The learner can overuse the monitor and stifle communication. Slide 19: Krashen proposed that when learners are provided with comprehensible input they acquire more. When the learner’s affective filter is up, this means that information is not reaching the learner. This may be because of fear, anxiety or low selfconfidence in language learning. The ideal situation is for the filter to be down so that the language acquisition device can receive the input necessary for language acquisition. Cummin’s Second Language Framework Cummins makes a distinction between social language and academic language. 1. Social language refers to the everyday conversational language which is supported by the use of illustrations, realia, demonstrations, etc. Context Embedded). Studies show that language learners acquire social language in approximately two years. Social language deals with the here-and-now language, therefore second language learners tend to acquire it faster. 2. Academic language is the language of school tasks which is more abstract and decontextualized (Context Reduced). Some second language learners who develop fluent spoken English have difficulties in reading and writing because they may be at different levels of proficiency while they are moving from social language (BICS) to academic language (CALP). It takes between five to seven years for second language learners to acquire academic language. Slide 20: James Cummins developed a framework for second language acquisition that involves the identification of both social and academic languages. The basic interpersonal communication skills are acquired from everyday use of the language and are supported by cues in the environment (context-embedded). The cognitive academic language proficiency is more abstract language which is not supported by environmental cues (context-reduced). Slides 21-22: Context-embedded tasks are for the most part cognitively undemanding because learners are able to depend on cues for assistance. There are some tasks that are context-embedded, more complex and impose cognitive demands. The learners in these situations can still rely on environmental cues for help. Slides 23-24: Context-reduced tasks can be both cognitively undemanding and cognitively demanding as well. Cognitively undemanding tasks are simple to carry out but do not contain environmental cues i. e. reading for personal purposes. Cognitively demanding, context-reduced tasks are more abstract and decontextualized. Slides 25-26: The components of communicative competence include: 1) grammatical competence which is knowing the structure of the language; 2) sociolinguistic competence which involves the use of the language for different audiences, purposes and norms of communication; 3) discourse competence which includes combing and connecting utterances both spoken and written; and 4) strategic competence which involves using language to meet communication goals. Slide 27: Competence is the underlying knowledge which is the mental representation of linguistic rules. This knowledge is nonobservable because it is internal. Performance is the overtly observable production of competence (comprehension and production of language). Slide 28: The three general principles of language learning include: 1) the law of exercise-active and repeated responses to stimuli (practice); 2) the law of effect-reinforcing learner responses (providing immediate corrective feedback); and 3) the principle of shaping-learning language through learning chunks (bit-bybit). Slide 29: These principles operate under the assumption that language learning is the formation of habit. The learner’s automatic responses were prompted by stimuli. Interesting and motivating stimuli turns responses into automatic, routinized learning. The level of difficulty required to learn a second language depends on the amount of time it takes to learn a second language pattern. The time from which controlled responses (short-term) turn into automatic responses (long-term) is dependent on learner differences, learning conditions, and teaching pedagogy. Input and Interaction L2 acquisition can only take place when the learner has access to input in the second language. This input may come in written or spoken form. Spoken input occurs in face-to-face interactions. Non-reciprocal discourse includes listening to the radio or watching a film. Behaviorists claim that presenting learners with input in the right doses and then reinforcing their attempts to practice them can control the process of acquisition. Chomsky pointed out that in many cases there was a very poor match between the kind of language found in the input that learners received and the kind of language they themselves produced. Comprehensible input (Krashen’s, 1985 Input Hypothesis) proposed that learners acquire morphological features in a natural order as a result of comprehending input addressed to them. Long (1981a) argued that input which is made comprehensible by means of the conversational adjustments that occur when there is a comprehension problem is especially important for acquisition. Swain (1985) proposed the comprehensible output hypothesis which states that learners need opportunities for â€Å"pushed output† in speech or writing that makes demands on them for correct and appropriate use of the L2. Slide 30: Input and interaction are very important factors in second language acquisition. Second language acquisition can only take place when the learner has access to input in the target language. Teachers can provide comprehensible input in their instructional delivery coupled with opportunities for interactions. Adjustments are made in order to facilitate the comprehension of messages. Just as important is comprehensible output. Learners need to be given opportunities to produce spoken or written discourse which forces them to use correct and appropriate use of the second language. The Role of the Native Language in Second Language Acquisition Language Trans fer The role of native language in second language acquisition has come to be known as â€Å"language transfer. † It has been assumed that in a second language learning situation learners rely extensively on their native language. According to Lado (1957) individuals tend to transfer forms and meanings, the distribution of the forms and meanings of their native language and culture to the foreign language and culture. This transfer is productive when the learner attempts to speak the language. This transfer is receptive when the learner attempts to grasp and understand the language and culture as practiced by native speakers. Lado’s work and much of the work of that time (1950’s) was based on the need to produce pedagogically relevant materials. A contrastive analysis of the native language and the target language was conducted in order to determine similarities and differences in the languages. Slide 31: The first language has a distinct role in second language acquisition. When language learners have a strong linguistic and communicative foundation in their native language, then the process of second language acquisition involves language transfer. Learners transfer forms and meanings as they attempt to speak or write the second language. Transfer takes on a receptive role when the learners listen to native speakers of the language and try to understand what is being said. Similarities in the two languages are transferred positively (language facilitation), while differences cause a nonproductive transfer (language interference). Framework for Explaining L1 Transfer Language Trans fer The L1 system is used for both comprehension and production. The interlanguage system is also used in comprehending and receiving messages. The L1 system is used in hypothesis construction responsible for interlanguage development. Comprehensible input serves as a major source of information for hypothesis construction. L2 output may be used for hypothesis construction. Slide 32: Language learners rely on their first language to produce language and to comprehend it. Hypotheses construction of language comes when learners manipulate and test language forms to further their interlanguage, the stages of development between L1 and L2. The second language output helps the learner test hypotheses of how language works and helps them construct new ones. Teachers provide comprehensible input in order to help learners acquire information for hypotheses construction. Slide 33: Language transfer is a cognitive process which involves the strategic use of the first language in learning the second language. The flexible thinking that occurs in the learner’s mind is representative of the interconnectedness between the two languages. Bi-cognitive thinking occurs spontaneously and with great ease. Learners think in their first language, transfer that thinking into the second language and then produce the utterances that meet the communication situation. There is a distinction between transfer experienced for communication purposes and transfer experienced for second language learning. First language transfer helps the learner receive and produce messages for communication purposes. Transfer in learning situations happens when the learner uses the first language to formulate hypotheses about second language rules. Language Language Transfer Trans fer Where the two languages were identical, learning could take place through positive transfer to the native-language pattern. Where the two languages were different, learning difficulty arose and errors occurred resulting from negative transfer. Chomsky (1959) set in motion a re-evaluation of many of the behaviorists claims. This re-evaluation included area such as: the dangers of extrapolating from laboratory studies of animal behavior to the language behavior of humans were pointed out; 2. the terms stimulus and response were exposed as vacuous where language behavior was concerned; 3. nalogy could not account for the language user’s ability to generate totally novel utterances; and 4. studies of children acquiring their L1 showed that parents rarely corrected their children’s linguistic errors, thus casting doubt on the importance of reinforcement in language learning. All this led to the reconsideration of the role of L1 in L2 learning. 1. Slide 34: When language feat ures in the two languages are similar, positive transfer from the first language to the second language occurs. When language features in the two languages are different, learning difficulties and errors happen. This transfer process made it evident to researchers that the native language definitely plays a major role in second language acquisition. The Nature of the Interlanguage Continuum Cognitive theories of interlanguage claim that with the assistance of learning strategies, learners build mental grammars of the second language. Learners draw on the rules they have constructed to interpret and produce utterances. Learner’s utterances are only erroneous with reference to the target language norms, not to the norms of their own grammars. The interlanguage continuum consists of a series of overlapping grammars. Each share some rules with the previously constructed grammar, but also contains some new or revised rules. A rule has the status of a hypothesis. Slide 35: The implication of the interlanguage continuum for teachers is that with assistance from learning strategies, learners are able to build mental grammars (rules) of the second language. The continuum represents different interlanguage stages (overlapping grammars) that the learners go through to use the rules they have learned to interpret and produce speech. Rules are classified hypotheses because the learner tests certain language rules in his/her development. Selinker’s Interlanguage Theory Selinker’s Interlanguage Theory maintains the separateness of a second language learner’s system and gives the system a structurally intermediate status between the native and target languages. According to Selinker, second language learners are producing their own self-contained linguistic system. The system is not a native language or target language system, rather it falls between the two. Stages of Interlanguage Development include: 1) random errors (presystematic); 2) experimentation and inaccurate guessing; 3) emergent-growing in consistency in linguistic production; 4) backsliding-appears to have grasped but later regressed and unable to correct errors; 5) systematic stage-ability to correct errors on their own; rules may not be well-formed but display more internal self-consistency; 6) stabilization-few errors are made, have mastered the system to the point of fluency; and 7) intralingual-inconsistencies within the target language; Global errors-affect meaning;local errors-close similarities in word form (i. . spelling). Interlanguage Continuum Interlanguage Stages L1 L2 ______/____/______/____/_______/_____/___/_____/_____/______ Basilang Mesolang Acrolang Slide 36: Each of the stages of the interlanguage continuum represents each grammar that the learner builds which represents more complexity as he/she moves on the continuum. Second language learners begin in t heir first language and as teachers provide the formal and informal second language instruction, learners move forward in their development. When learners encounter difficulties in any of their interlanguage stages, they can fossilize (learning stops at some given point) or they may experience backsliding (regression). The continuum can be related to language learner categories used for identifying bilingual/ESL students. Basilang is equivalent to the beginner; mesolang is the category of an intermediate learner; and acrolang is the category for the advanced learner. Slide 37: The identification of errors that language learners make is important in order to understand the source of errors and the corrective measures teachers can offer. Errors happen when learners lack knowledge of second language rules, while mistakes occur when learners are unable to perform their competence (underlying knowledge that is non-observable). Overt errors are deviations in form and covert errors are those that are well-formed but do not communicate what the learner intended. Learner Errors Error Analysis is used for examining errors as a way of investigating learning processes. Much of the early work on learner errors focused on the extent to which L2 acquisition was the result of L1 transfer or creative construction (construction of unique rules similar to those which children form in the course of acquiring the native language). The presence of errors that mirrored L1 structures was taken as evidence of transfer (interlingual), while those errors similar to those observed in L1 acquisition were indicative of creative construction (intralingual). The study of learner errors showed that although many errors were caused by transferring L1 habits, many more were not. It was found that learners went through stages of acquisition and the nature of errors varied according to their level of development. Error analysis could not show when learners resorted to avoidance and it ignored what learners could do correctly. Slide 38: For teachers of English language learners, it is important to understand the role of errors in second language learning. Error analysis is important because it gives us the opportunity to examine learner errors and determine if errors are a consequence of first language interference or not. Implications for teachers come in planning instruction that addresses patterns in errors made by students experiencing language interference, grouping practices to target the identified errors, and instructional methodologies and strategies for helping learners overcome some of their errors. Slide 39: Errors made by a language learner can give teachers insight as to how much knowledge the learner has in the second language. They are a means of diagnosing progress or lack of progress in second language development. Errors are to be seen as part of a process of second language acquisition not just as the result of imperfect learning. Slide 40: Errors are systematic and will occur until the language learner recognizes them and corrects them. If communication is clear, even when learners produce errors such as â€Å"no want† then the error is in the language structure and not in the learner’s system (interlanguage). Slide 41: Contrastive analysis helps teachers understand potential errors language learners make. This understanding will allow teachers to identify what needs to be learned and what is already in the learner’s system. What needs to be learned will be the focus of instruction and what is already learned will be the knowledge the learner brings to the learning situations. The pedagogical materials that resulted from contrastive analysis were based on the claim that language is a habit; language learning involves the establishment of a new set of habits; the native language interferes with the reception and production of a second language; and accounting for errors involves considering differences between the first and the second languages. The greater the differences the more errors will occur; and difficulty and ease in learning a second language are determined by differences and similarities between the two languages in contrast. Slide 42: Thomas and Collier (1997), proposed the Prism Model of Language Acquisition for School. This model includes first and second language cognitive development, academic development, language development as well as social and cultural processes. Slide 43: The cognitive development component is a subconscious process that is developmental. Thought processes are built through interactions. It is critical that cognitive development take place in the first language so that the foundation is strong and positive transfer of skills and concepts occurs. Slide 44: Academic knowledge, concepts and skills transfer from the first to the second language. In order to make the necessary instructional adjustments, teachers need to provide instruction in the learners’ first language and a strong English as a Second Language component during the instructional day in order to make academic content meaningful. The interruption of academic development in the first language will likely promote academic failure. A good balance of academic instruction (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency) in the first language and vocabulary and oral language development (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills) through ESL will facilitate language transfer and transition when the learner is ready. According to research, it takes a language learner from 5-7 years to reach academic proficiency in the second language. It takes from 2-3 years to acquire BICS. Therefore, teaching BICS in the two languages and having a strong ESL program are essential if language learners are to be ready for transitioning from the first to the second language. Slide 45: Language development includes Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) which are acquired subconsciously as well as the innate ability learners bring with them to the academic setting (CALP). In order to assure both cognitive and academic success in learning a second language, the learner must be taught in his/her first language to a high cognitive level so that the learner can develop the necessary competence and performance in the second language. Slide 46: Second language learners go through everyday experiences which impact the acquisition of the second language. The home-school connection is very important in order to help language learners respond to second language learning more effectively. The sociocultural support that language learners need must be evident at home, at school, in the community and in society at large. The instructional environment can either create social unity, linguistic and ethnic respect, and value for bilingualism or it may promote a psychological distance between two groups, cultures and languages. Slide 47: In conclusion, teachers working with second language learners must consider the learners’ linguistic, cultural, and academic needs, as well as the levels of language proficiency. Teachers should encourage their students to experiment with language and not be afraid of making errors. Errors are part of the learning process just as error correction is part of the teaching process. Teachers should not ignore errors, but focusing too much on them can cause anxiety, fear and hamper learning. 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Maxis Marketing Plan Essay Example For Students

Maxis Marketing Plan Essay Contents Page 1. 0 The Executive Summary 2. 0 Integrated Marketing Plan Introduction 3. 0 The Maxis Company Profile and Background 3. 1 Types of Services Offered by Maxis 4. 0 Mission Statement of Maxis 5. 0 Strategic Thrust of the Integrated Marketing Plan 6. 0 Maxis Company’s Key Success Factors 7. 0 Situational Audit and Analysis 7. 1 Macro Environmental Analysis for the Maxis Company 7. 1. 1 P. E. S. T and S. W. O. T Analytical Frameworks for Environmental Analysis 7. 1. 1 Benefits of Using these Tools 7. SWOT Analysis for Maxis Malaysia 7. 2. 3 The Strengths of the Maxis Company 7. 2. 3 The Weaknesses of the Maxis Company 7. 2. 4 The Opportunities of the Maxis Company 7. 2. 5 The Threats of the Maxis Company 7. 2. 6 Important Findings of the SWOT Analysis 7. 3 The P-E-S-T Analysis for Maxis Malaysia 7. 3. 1 Critical Analysis for the Malaysian Political Trends 7. 3. 2 Economic Trends 7. 3. 4 Social Trends 7. 3. 5 Technological Trends 7. 4 Analysis of the Competition and t he Market Situation in Malaysia 7. 5 Analysis of Customers . 6 Distribution 8. 0 The Marketing Objectives of the Maxis Company 9. 0 The Maxis Marketing Mix 9. 1 The Product of Maxis 9. 2 Pricing of the Maxis Product 9. 3 Placement of Products of Maxis 9. 4 Promotion and Advertising of the Maxis Product 10. 0 The Strategy Recommended for the Improvement of the Maxis Product 11. 0 Controls and Management of Integrated Direction of the Marketing Plan 12. 0 Tactical Plans for Maxis 13. 0 Proposed Sales Forecast 14. 0 Budget 15. 0 Conclusion 16. 0 References 1. 0 The Executive Summary The integrated marketing plan here is very concerned with espousing an integrated strategy that is designed in order to enhance the current competitiveness of the Maxis mobile phone company through its service pack that it currently makes available to Malaysians. The Maxis company is one of the top performers within the Malaysian telecommunications industry. Until now, this market was dominated by Maxis but in these times, other mobile service providers have become more competitive and are competing on equal footing. These competitors comprise of firms like DiGi and also Celcom. The service pack that is provided by Maxis comprises of a SIM card that enables the user of the cell phone to connect with other mobile phone users through their cell phones. Competitors like DiGi as well as Celcom do provide the same kind of service and are drawing more customers away from Maxis and they are gaining a larger market share. Due to this, it will be necessary to formulate this strategy to enable Maxis to become more competitive and to be the leader once again. The macro-environment of Maxis is examined in this plan by using the business tools like PEST. The SWOT tool is used to also analyze the external and the internal business environment for Maxis. Through the use of these tools, it will be possible to get the required information to determine the type of strategies that need to be utilized to make Maxis competitive again. Maxis must give attention for the changes that take place within the external environment, to identify the elements and threats in the environment that are causing it to under-perform and that are restricting its progress. There does need to be enhancements towards the service that it provides or else it will lose out to competitors like DiGi, that are gaining strength and popularity. The primary recommendation here will be to the effect that Maxis is to make enhancements to the Maxis service pack. The service pack will need to be enhanced through the use of customization and to cater to the needs of business users and recreational users as well. Recommendations are made about the price of the service pack, the promotional methods, the distribution and enhancements need to be made the product itself. Maxis need to be more efficient when it comes to research and development of the new service pack and it has to pay more attention towards its competitors. 2. 0 Integrated Marketing Plan Introduction Maxis is a Company is leader in the industry concerning the providing of telecommunication services within Malaysia and it is starting to have a presence overseas as well. The domination of this company in the realm of mobile telecommunications services is now coming under threat from competitors like DiGi. that are fast growing ion popularity among Malaysian phone users. The lack of competitiveness of Maxis has to be cured by making recommendations that will be contained within this marketing plan. Essentially, this plan will contain strategies that can make Maxis more competitive again and that will permit the company to leave its competition behind. Lack of strategic planning can be very bad for a company, especially when competitors are just wanting for the right time to deploy their strategies to annul the competitor. The strategic planner at Maxis has to plan through having the correct and accurate information concerning the macro-environment and the internal processes of the company. It only with such knowledge that Maxis can solve the inefficiencies within its company and to take logical and accurate steps towards improving their competitive position in the industry. With this information, the strategist will be able to devise and deploy strategic initiatives that can enhance the performance of the company and to overtake its competition. 3. 0 The Maxis Company Profile and Background Maxis Communications Berhad, or known as the Maxis company for this report, is an organisation that is dealing in the business of providing various services that relate to the domain of telecommunications. The Maxis Communications organisation is the subsidiary of Binariang GSM Sdn Bhd. This company is based in Malaysia and its headquarters are located in Kuala Lumpur. In addition to having operations in Malaysia, this company also has operations in countries like Indonesia and also in India. (Maxis Company Profile, 2010). This company was founded in 1995. After nearly 7 years, in 2002, this company made its appearance on the stock exchange. This company became a private company in 2007, when it was bought over by Binariang GSM Sdn Bhd for about $4. billion (Yahoo Finance – Company Profile for Maxis 2010). At the end of fiscal 2006, Maxis recorded revenues of about MYR7,706. 7 million and this was an increase of about 21% from 2005. The company’s operating profit stood at MYR2,836. 5 million in fiscal year 2006 and this was an increase of 16. 9% from 2005 (Companies and Markets – Maxis Communications SWOT Analysis, 2010). 3. 1 Types of Services Offered by Maxis As noted previously, this company does offer mobile phone related services and these are categorized as being mobile services, fixed services, and also international gateway services. In much more specific terms, the Maxis company does provide the following list of services: †¢ Mobile telecommunications products and services †¢ Various kinds of multimedia services †¢ Wireless Internet services for residential areas and offices †¢ GSM cellular kinds of services †¢ Telecommunications consultancy related services (Maxis Company Profile, 2010) This company does operate something that can be described as the national public switched network. In addition to this, the Maxis company also takes part in the ownership, the building and the maintenance of certain radio facilities and various associated switches. Maxis does provides high speed internet services and various internet application services. These does include software related services. Far from its original business, the Maxis company does participate within the business of property letting (Maxis Company Profile, 2010). In accordance with its quest for more diversification, Maxis did take the initiative to launch a new kind of service which make it possible for users to be able to control their SMS, to automate it and also to personalize these services. This service does enable its users to block out SMS that are not solicited (IW– Maxis Company, 2010). 4. 0 Mission Statement of Maxis For the Maxis company, the main mission statement will be to construct a foundation that is firmly premised on important concepts like integrity, high level of commitment and superior vision when it comes to helping others to become successful. Maxis does appreciated that it is very commendable to effectively lead others towards the maximization of talents as well as their potential within the working environment. What people at Maxis believe here is that such an adherence will likely to provide them with the ability to serve their customers and to continue to grow to a stronger position for the future (Maxis Company Mission Statement, 2010). 5. 0 Strategic Thrust of the Integrated Marketing Plan Practically speaking, this integrated marketing plan for the Maxis company will be developed in order to propose certain strategic recommendations for the services that Maxis currently specializes in. Then importance of this strategic plan lies in the fact that maintaining competitiveness within this industry will be very important because any lack of strategic direction and improvements will result in Maxis being overtaken by other companies like DiGi, for instance. This plan does make a comprehensive analysis of the internal and the external business environment for the company and the information that is obtained is capable of being used to form some new and effective strategies and other strategic initiatives to enhance this companies competitiveness. 6. 0 Maxis Company’s Key Success Factors It was submitted that there exists about three kinds of critical success factors and these are said to relate to industry critical success factors which are caused by the industry characteristics which are very specific, the critical success factors which are said to be caused by the main competitive business strategy and finally, the critical success factors which are said to be caused due to changes in the economy or technology (Rockart, 1986) For the Maxis company, the following will be the main critical success factors of this company: 1. Highly innovative and advanced IT infrastructure (Rockart, 1986) 2. Elevation in the level of effectiveness of the customer service representatives of the company 3. Very competent and high level of employee morale as well as productivity 4. Good brand recognition in Malaysia 5. Efficient internal operations (Rockart, 1986) These success factors have been largely responsible for assisting this company to gain a lot of success within the borders of the Malaysian telecommunications industry. It is due to the these success factors that Maxis have been capable of sustaining a high and commendable level of growth, efficient development and commendable profitability levels within Malaysia. It is these kinds of critical success factors that can be utilized ion the process of strategy planning. By making an identification of these kinds of critical success factors, it will enable the company to be focused well on moving into the right direction. Through the proper clarification of the order of priority of the critical success factor of Maxis, in terms of measuring the results as well as rewarding very efficient performance, it will make improvements towards the success for the long-term of this company (Maxis Critical Success Factors, 2010). . 0 Situational Audit and Analysis 7. 1 Macro Environmental Analysis for the Maxis Company This analysis will be carried out in order to examine the elements that are present within the internal and external environmental of the Maxis company. This analysis will reveal information that can be used to make new strategies and enhance the success of the company. 7. 1. 1 P. E. S. T and S. W. O. T Analytical Frameworks for Environmental Analysis To do this, certain business analysis frameworks are used and these will include the tools as listed below: 1. P-E-S-T tool 2. SWOT tool 7. 1. 1 Benefits of Using these Tools The PEST tool will bring out the information concerning factors relating to politics, economy, socio-culture and technology. The S-W-O-T tool will bring out information about the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and the threats that being currently being experienced by the company. All this information will be vital to the strategy plan as it will give the relevant managers of Maxis with very vital information concerning the business environment that the company does operate within. The P-E-S-T tool reveals information concerning the trends that the company has to be concerned about and the S-W-O-T tool will be used to find out what the company is good at doing, what it is not good at doing, and what the chances it has to improve and enhance itself to become successful. The output that is obtained from these tools will form the basic ingredients that will be used in the process of forming the strategies for the Maxis company. Hundreds of years ago, an unconscious culture diseased the female population EssayThe customers can be further categorized in terms of being users of cell phones for the purposes of business and users of cell phones for recreational activities. At present, the customers seem to prefer buying their service packs from two main companies, that being Maxis and DiGi. The disturbing trend among these customers include the fact that more and more of them are starting to be attracted more to DiGi and this is causing Maxis to lose market share to its competitor. What these customers want from their mobile phone service provider is convenience, affordability and richness in features. At present, DiGi are more capable of providing these benefits to the customers, which explains why it is very popular. 7. 6 Distribution Maxis distributes its products through the use of licensed Maxis dealers that are located all around Malaysia. It has a few of service centers located all around Malaysian but its products are also widely available at mobile phone dealers in Malaysian. These dealers are located in various locations like shopping complexes and in many areas within city centers. Customers can buy service packs from any one of these dealers or service centers. 8. The Marketing Objectives of the Maxis Company The plan is now concerned with outlining the strategic marketing objectives for the Maxis Company. These sort of marketing objectives are understood to concern the Maxis company will be the following objectives: 1. To increase the sales of the main Maxis service pack by 35% by 2011, 2. To increase the amount of revenue that is generated from the sales of the Maxis service pack within Malaysia by about 25% 3. To elevate the levels of market share within the within the Malaysian telecommunications industry by up to 10% 9. 0 The Maxis Marketing Mix The marketing mix is conducted now to determine issues and to extract information in relation to the Maxis product, its price, its placement and distribution and its promotions. 9. 1 The Product of Maxis Maxis provides a wide range of services and these includes mobile services, fixed services, and also international gateway services. These services are not simple to differentiate and the only part of it services that is capable of being subject to differentiation is Maxis service package, that contains the SIM card used to enable the use to make phone calls and various other activities relating to the use of a mobile phone. This will be the product that will the subject for analysis. There is clearly a need for more diversification of the features of the service pack in the sense that the services need to be enhanced and differentiated from the competition, which is the service pack provided by the Maxis company. What is needed is more attractive features and bonuses that are not offered by competitors like DiGi or Celcom. There needs to be an incentive to encourage the users of the mobile phone to select the Maxis package in contrast to other packages. . 2 Pricing of the Maxis Product Concerning pricing issues, the price at present is not very different from that of competitors and hence there needs to be a change in the pricing strategy of Maxis in order for the pricing to be even more competitive than that of its competitors. Through proving the customers with better prices than its competitors, Maxis can go a step closer to achieving its marketing objectives. 9. 3 Placement of Products of Maxis Maxi s has a number of branches all around Malaysia and it is based in KLCC. There are thousands of dealers that sell Maxis products all over Malaysia and these dealers are licensed to sell Maxis products. Through the use of this strategy, Maxis increases its reach and strengthens its presence. This is an important consideration and what can be recommended here is that Maxis continue to enhance its reach all over Malaysia and overseas as well. This is something that DiGi has not do yet and to be the first to do this will be a good opportunity for Maxis to increase its reach, performance and profitability. 9. Promotion and Advertising of the Maxis Product Promotional activities have to be enhanced in order to deliver the message about the benefits of the improved product and hence, there will be a need for a more intensive promotional campaign within Malaysia. The following are some of the tools that can be used by this company to advertise its services more effectively: 1. Newspapers advertising 2. Television advertising 3. Radio advertising 4. Sales promotio n 5. Public relations 6. Magazines advertising 10. 0 The Strategy Recommended for the Improvement of the Maxis Product Through the analysis of the information which was acquired previously, it is not possible to identify the areas that are in need of enhancements and the various opportunities that are open for Maxis to improve its product. The following strategy concerns the a combination of various aspects that form major parts of this plan. This strategy is designed to make positive improvements towards the mobile, fixed, and international gateway services package that is offered by the Maxis Company. Target Market for Maxis The target market for the Maxis company in relation to the product selected will be cell phone users that need to communicate, for business, recreation etc, wherever they are and at any time The Product of Maxis There needs to be some investments that need to be made to enhance the product and a 15% increase in the budget for investment is needed to permit the product development team at Maxis to be able to enhance the service pack of Maxis, and this means that there has to be inclusion of features that are attractive for normal users and also for business users. The product needs to be enhanced to cater for business users as well and a separate type of service pack needs to be made for business users, which means more features for business use. This means business users will find the service pack more relevant to their business needs. Price of the Maxis Product For pricing, there needs to be a reduction of 3% for local calls and 2% for international calls. SMS services are recommended to be provided for free between Maxis phone subscribers in order to attract more customers. However, this needs to be seasonal and free SMS services are only to be provided for 2 weeks every month for Maxis subscribers. The price needs to be set at RM5. 00 and then increased to RM5. 50 in the thirst and fourth quarter of 2011. Promotion of the Maxis Product There has to be an increase in the budget for the Maxis advertising campaign and these are to be directed towards the promotion of the improved Maxis product and the campaign must be long enough, effective enough and intensive enough to reach out to the target market. Maxis Marketing Research A very crucial investment here needs to be make in market research and the investment needs to be increased by 10% in order to have enough resources to be made available so that the marketing researchers at Maxis will able to research more intensively about the way that the Malaysian consumers make their purchases. The research will also be focused on monitoring competitors like DiGi, the progress that they are making, the strategies that they are using, and the way that they are marketing their products. This research will be vital to gain the necessary information to improve Maxis. 1. 0 Controls and Management of Integrated Direction of the Marketing Plan An integrated marketing plan like this can only be of use when it is well managed and developed (Kotler et al, 2007). This means that it will be very essential for the plan’s strategic direction to be managed properly so that it will help Maxis achieve what it is meant to do, that is, to assist the company, to enhance their profitability, to increase growth rate, enlarge its marketing share and to increase the level of brand awareness between cell phone users within Malaysia. Due to the level unpredictability concerning the future, what will be very important here will be for the managers of Maxis to prepare themselves to handle external and internal factors which are capable of compromising and preventing the plan to be effective and applicable (Kotler et al, 2007). The Maxis managers have to manage the plan through ensuring that various negative elements which have the potential of compromising the plan have identified and eliminated. 2. 0 Tactical Plans for Maxis Below is the tactical plan outline for the Maxis company in promoting the new service pack (Kotler et al, 2007): 1st quarter of 2011 (January to April) – Launch of new service pack and will be made available in all Maxis service centers and dealers 2nd quarter of 2011 (April to July) –Massive promotional campaign around Malaysia to inform Malaysian mobile phone users about the new service pack rd quarter of 2011 (July to October) – Launch of contests that offer cell phone users to participate and win attractive prizes when they win contests. These are designed to help customers learn more about the new service pack and to understand its benefits 4th quarter of 2011 (October to December) – Implementation of new website that is highly interactive and that assists the organisation to extensively promote the product 13. 0 Proposed Sales Forecast YEAR 2011 |JAN |FEB |MAR |APR |MAY |JUNE | |Website |3800 |3800 |3800 |3800 |3800 |3800 | |Advertising |8000 |8000 |8000 |8000 |8000 |8000 | |Public Relations |15000 |15000 |15000 |15000 |15000 |15000 | |(PR) | | | | | | | |Exhibitions |7,500 |7,500 |7,500 |7,500 |7,500 |7,500 | |Other |20,000 |20,000 |20,000 |20,000 |20,000 |20,000 | |Total Sales |54,300 |54,300 |54,300 |54,300 |54,300 |54,300 | |Marketing Expenses | | | | | | | 15. 0 Conclusion Maxis is one of the more successful Malaysian companies that has had a very strong presence and wide brand recognition in Malaysia. The strong presence that Maxi s once enjoyed is not possible any longer and this is because of the growth of competitors like DiGi. In the event that no improvements are made to the services provided, then it is very likely that DiGi will be the dominant force within the industry and Maxis will decrease in strength and recognition. In this plan, much empirical information was obtained through the situation analysis and this information has revealed trends in the environment and many kinds of opportunities that can be used by Maxis to achieve its business objectives. In this integrated marketing plan, the strategy that was recommended with having in mind these factors, was a strategy which can ensure that the Maxis service pack is elevated in terms of quality, attractiveness and value. The main recommendation was for there to be separate kinds of service packs for business users and recreational users. This strategy has yet to be implemented by DiGi and will be a strong point for Maxis in differentiating its services from that of the competitors. 16. 0 References Rockart F 1986 in, A Primer on Critical Success Factors in ‘The Rise of Managerial Computing: The Best of the Center for Information Systems Research, Dow Jones-Irwin, 1986. 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