Issues facing european low cost airlines

Issues facing european low cost airlines As predicted in the beginning of the millennium year by the International Air Transport Association, the low cost airline sector has grown at a rapid pace during the last decade from carrying 6.3% of the domestic and international passengers within Europe in 1999 predicting to increase to 16-18% in 2005 and has become the order of day in Europe. Although the European airline sector was dominated by flag carriers such as British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France etc. with a share of 70%, this fact transformed with the deregulations coming into effect, increasing the need for an optimal model of operation. That is, as the average airfares in the low-cost airlines sector account for just 3% of the average monthly EU industrial wage, customers turned towards these airline services (Datta Chakravarty, n.d). 3.0 Ryanair Profile in brief Ryanair Airlines, founded by the Ryan family was initially a full service conventional airline in 1985 which was introduced as an alternative travelling between Ireland and the UK to then state monopoly Aer Lingus. However due to financial issues it successfully restructured itself in early 1990s as the first low-fares, no frills carrier in Europe modeling based on Southwest Airlines. The responsibility of Ryanair was taken over by a management team lead by Michael OLeary and was soon floated on both Dublin and London Stock Exchanges in 1997 and admitted among NASDAQ 100 (OHiggins, 2007). Ryanair as a leading low-fares airline offers cheap flights to 150 destinations up-to-date along 1000 low cost routes and provide its customers with cheap and fast air travel excluding fuel surcharges with 100% possibility for online check-ins (Ryanair website, n.d). Although Ryanair has not published its vision and mission clearly, they look to find the big picture and set a broad direction and OLearys direction is to be the largest Low Cost Leader in the European airline industry. This vision is supported by absolute dedication to low cost performance in every element of the value chain, quick gate turnarounds, nonunion operations, performance-based incentive compensation plans, standardization on one type of aircraft, and flying (in most cases) to secondary airports, which provides significant savings for Ryanair (Box Byus, 2007). 4.0 Internal Analysis 4.1 Organizations Strategic Capability Analysis Ryanair has positioned itself as the largest low-fares carrier in Europe and as a business which returns value for money to its fare-concuious leisure and business customers. That is, as Ryanair explains, At Ryanair we guarantee you the lowest air fares on the internet. However our success is due not just to our low fares but also a winning combination of our No.1 on-time record, our friendly and efficient people and our new Boeing 737-800 series aircraft (Puget, 2003) which all add up to its value. Its ancillary services improve its value which is 13% of the total revenue. Although there are low-fares airline services in the European market due to the effectiveness of Ryanair it has been able to become market leader with 29.9% of market share in 2006. Their competitors have not been able to effectively copy the low cost strategy and usage of secondary and regional airports. Inimitable Organised Ryanair holds its uniqueness in its operating strategy which is based on low-cost. It adopts point-to-point flights to secondary or regional airports which no other service follows and occupies a one-way pricing policy which eliminates direct comparison with competitors (Ryanair, n.d). Ryanair is well organized within its low-cost strategy. It offers 100% online check-ins and flies to 150 European destinations along 1000 routes. There is no physical check in where passenger is required to forward his passport and reference number (Marketing Teacher Ltd, n.d). It has one-way pricing strategy which eliminates minimum stay requirements within airports (Ryanair, n.d). Valuable Rare 4.2 Company Resources The resources of Ryanair could be categorized and explained according to the following. Type Ryanair resources Physical resources Head office at Dublin airport Ireland 202 Boeing 737-800 aircrafts with 189 capacity 150 destinations through 1000 routes (as at 2010 April) Financial resources Total assets worth à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬4,634.2 million Shareholder equity of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1,992 million Total operating revenues worth à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1,693 million (all as at 2006 March) Human Resource Over 6,300 employees (2008) CEO Michel OLeary Intellectual resources Market share of 29.9% (2006) Customer base of 34.9 million (2006) Largest travel website in Europe The fifth most recognized brand on Google Most profitable airline in the world based on operating and net profit margins on a per-airplane and per-passenger basis (2006) 4.3 Company Competencies No frill, low cost leadership could be considered the most significant aspect of Ryanair and thereby cater from low to middle level customers The ancillary revenue methods such as accommodation services, care rental, in-flight sales etc. which add up to 15.3% (2006) which had a 36% increase during 2005-2006 Possessing the preemptive advantage and being the market leader provides opportunity to expand into other markets including USA, Asia and Africa. Allowing internet access to its consumers leads to elevate sales and reduce the per-units cost Point-to-point short haul flights and usage of secondary and regional airports reduce passenger congestion and thereby avoid high airport charges. The personality of Michel OLeary has a great impact on the success of Ryanair where he personally looks into unique marketing strategies. 4.0 Industry Analysis 4.1 Porters Five Forces 4.1.1 Competitor rivalry -High and increasing The direct and main low-cost competitors of Ryanair include easyJet, Air Berlin, Germanwings, Lufthansa and Tranavia and the industry was joined by approximately 60 new low-cost airlines in 2004 (Experience Festival, n.d). A major reason for the development of this sector was the airline deregulation in 1997 due to which many companies were attracted towards the industry. This resulted in full-service airlines adopting the low-cost strategy eg. Aer Lingus 2002. The economical recession increased the aggressiveness of all competitors as they were compelled to survive in the market which resulted in frequent flyer programmes by many competing businesses including Lufthansa, Aer Lingus etc (flyertalk, n.d). However the attractiveness of the industry is high for Ryanair due to its low-cost structure, use of secondary airports and first-mover advantage along with experience of almost 2 decades. 4.1.2 Threat of new entrants Moderate Although it is accepted that the European budget airline industry is healthy with huge potential and incremental growth, the effect on Ryanair from new entrants could be considered as moderate due to its position in the market, its strong brand name and economies of scale achieved with time. For instance, Ryanair saved 42.6% of marketing and distribution costs through direct bookings in 2002 (Brophy George, 2003). Although the deregulation practices minimized the barriers of entering the industry challenging the market leader would consume both time and resources of the new companies. 4.1.3 Bargaining power of suppliers Low to Moderate Types of suppliers of Ryanair would mainly be fuel suppliers, aircraft suppliers, airport authorities and suppliers of support services. Travel agents would not count at present due to on line bookings. Ryanair has no control on fuel prices which is totally governed by world trade and Middle Eastern countries. However it has a very healthy relationship with the main aeroplane supplier, Boeing (Brophy George, 2003) which also provides the company with ancillary goods and services including technical support and training, spare parts support, training of flight crew etc. Accordingly it could be said that the power of suppliers is at low to moderate level. Eg. Ryanair cancelled its contract with OnAir, the supplier of the on board mobile communication service due to financial issues (Robertson, 2010). 4.1.4 Bargaining power of consumers High The passenger base of Ryanair was 34.9 million in 2006 and 58.5 million in 2008 (Ryanair, n.d) and increasing due to recessionary effects and current recovery stage resulting in attraction towards low-cost air travel. As Brophy and George (2003) explain, the power of buyers depends on standardization of product, elasticity of demand, brand identity and the quality of service. The switching cost is very low for customers due to the parity of services and online bookings. Accordingly Ryanair is compelled to practice competitive pricing. 4.1.5 Threat of substitutes Low to Moderate The major substitutes for air travel in Europe are rail, road and to some extent boat travel. With advantages such as ability of localization, easier accessibility along with safety railway is significant but may take longer to reach the destination. Ryanair with its low-fare structure is comparatively cheaper than railway which directly substitutes its services through excellent continental services. Road travel would provide similar benefits but Ryanair could overcome it through emphasizing on effective short haul schedules. Development in communication could also be a threat to some extent as business professionals could communicate through video conference etc. from one corner of the world to the other instantly sitting at their office desks. 5.0 Macro-environmental analysis 5.1 PESTEL analysis 5.1.1 Political Government laws and regulations regarding increase of airport landing charges The law for carbon emissions passed by the government on the aviation industry charging environmental taxes EU regulation to reduce the inconvenience caused to passengers by delays, cancellations and denied boarding where airlines are to provide standardized and immediate assistance to them Severe security measures imposed by UK authorities due to terrorist attacks 5.1.2 Economical Real GDP growth rate of EU at a reducing trend since 2007 -4.2% in 2009 (eurostat, n.d) Reduction in inflation rate of the EU from 3.7% in 2008 to 1.0% in 2009 (eurostat, n.d) Recessionary effects and current practices for recovery and depreciation of the US dollar 5.1.3 Social Increase in numbers of business travellers Negative perceptions on air travel due to safety issues Attraction to low-cost airlines after the economic recession 5.1.4 Technology Internet competition for online bookings Fuel efficiency, low carbon emissions and low noise emissions from Boeing aircrafts Other technological expansions e.g. Web sales 5.1.5 Environmental Cancellation of thousands of flights due to spread of volcanic ash from Iceland Strict regulations on carbon emissions Considerations on global warming and noise pollution 5.1.6 Legal Laws relating to airport charges and route policies Safety measures taken by governments due to terrorism regarding passengers and airline staff Regulation regarding misleading advertising 6.0 SWOT Analysis 6.1 Strengths Brand image and reputation Ryanair possesses the privilege of being the initial company to the low-fare air travel industry in Europe and thereby has the advantage of being the First Mover or preemptive mover. Most importantly as the market leader Ryanair presents its brand as a bundle of functional benefits including punctuality and efficiency (Puget, 2003). Pricing strategy As the first low-fares airline in Europe their pricing strategy was extremely unique where 70% of the seats are sold at lowest two fares and the rest is at higher prices with 6% sold at the highest and customers are ruled out of fuel surcharges (Marketing Teacher Ltd, n.d). Customers are content with the aspect of value for money and best prices compared to other competing airlines. Marketing strategy They utilize adverts which basically communicate the low-fares factor to its customers. Mostly they use controversy as their promotion method where for instance, bidding to purchase Aer Lingus, the Irish rival of Ryanair, charging  £1 per person for the use of washroom on board from 2010 (Crouthamel 2010), publishing controversy calendars with female cabin crew for charity purposes etc. Also another important factor is the ancillary services or non-flight scheduled services such as hotels, car hires, in-flight sales etc. 6.2 Weaknesses Cost Structure Ryanair is at continuous attempt to reduce costs at any possible situation and therefore it has a negative impact on customer satisfaction due to this high cost consciousness. According to a poll by TripAdvisor in 2006 Ryanair was voted as the worlds least favourite airline and Ryanair is ranked as a 2 Star low-cost airline by airlinequality.com (n.d) which also explains the negative perspective of customers about low quality. Also this cost structure is constantly challenged by the fluctuations of fuel prices. Staff issues Ryanair scores low regarding industrial relations where they are alleged of providing poor working conditions. Ryanair recruit young pilots who could work hard and with experience and knowledge gathered at Ryanair they tend to move on as a result of low commitment. 6.3 Opportunities Expansion to the USA The low-fares structure is not common in the US as it is in Europe and therefore Ryanair would be the first mover to the US domestic airline market as it plans to extend itself under a different brand for long haul flights between US and Europe (McGrath, 2007). It is said that Ryanair would be the cheapest USA flights in history and its popularity and success in Europe would spill over to the new brand. Recession Price has become an extremely important factor in making purchase decisions and therefore Ryanair could score due to its low-fares nature during and at the aftermath of the global economic recession. The grid (Appendix B) illustrates the increased demand towards Ryanair where its passenger numbers has grown by 13% from 2007-2008. New aircrafts and focus on business professionals Ryanair currently owns 189 Boeing 737-800 which are more environmental friendly and larger in capacity. Also discussions are underway for an order for 200-300 aircrafts for 2013-2016 requirements (centre for aviation, 2009). Also with changes in the business world and focus on countries such as China and USA the demand for long haul flights have increased. 6.4 Threats Fuel prices and other charges As Ryanair does not pass on fuel surcharges to its customers, the unpredictability in fuel prices and inexperience in effective hedging compared to its competitors it is at risk of continuing with lowering costs. Also increase in airport and handling charges and route charges due to expansion would also threaten its cost structure. Political influence As Ryanair operates in more than one country it is influenced by various legal requirements which are different to one another and therefore faces difficulties in standardizing processes and practices. 7.0 Recommendations Considering a much more structured marketing strategy which does not depend on controversy publicity. Taking measures to reduce negative publicity through practicing CSR projects and demonstrating ethical behaviour moving away from merely being profit conscious Proving customers with benefits of the low-cost structure through effective customer service which would increase numbers and thereby would positively affect profit margins although costs may increase in the process. 8.0 Conclusion Ryanair as the largest low-fares carrier and the market leader of the European budget airline market has been able to succeed due to its unique and out-of-the-box thinking. With a high rate of rivalry within the industry with big players such as easyJet, Lufthansa, Air France practicing competitive strategies time-to-time Ryanair is required to follow the correct strategies in order to remain at its throne. Accordingly effective analysis of its internal, external and industrial aspects would increase its possibilities. Ryanair with its low-cost strategy and powerful brand reputation could match its strengths with the opportunities in the market, especially those which have arisen due to the economical downturn increasing the demand for low-cost travel. Furthermore, due to its capabilities the industry attractiveness is at a high level for Ryanair. However the business is at a spotlight due to its controversy practices which they utilize as a means of publicity could negatively affect its brand in the long run and therefore should take steps to reduce these effects.

Media Violence and the Violent Male Adolescent Essay -- Argumentative

Media Violence and the Violent Male Adolescent      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   My research led me to form some new hypotheses on the correlation of violence in the media, namely television, movies, and video games, to the rise in violent behavior in adolescents. For this essay, I will focus on male adolescents. I will use multiple lenses for my research to (1) establish the increase in violent acts by adolescents in the past two decades; (2) use proven research to show the impact of media violence on the individual; and (3) to illustrate my "recipe for disaster," four correlations that contribute to the effects of media violence on male adolescents.    Rise in Youth Violence According to the United States Department of Justice ("DOJ"), (1999) in a committee report, "The number of juvenile violent crime arrests in 1997 exceeded the 1988 level by 49%. Of that number, 2,500 were arrested for murder and 121,000 for other violent crimes. Eighteen percent of high school students now carry a knife, razor, firearm, or other weapon on a regular basis, and 9% of them take a weapon to school." The Committee report noted that a principal cause for the increase was media violence. " Eighty-seven percent of American households have more than one television, and 88.7% of homes with children have home video game equipment, a personal computer, or both. An average teenager listens to 10,500 hours of rock music during the years between the 7th and 12th grades. By age 18 an American child will have seen 16,000 simulated murders and 200,000 acts of violence. Television alone is responsible for 10% of youth violence. A preference for heavy metal music may be a significant marker for alienation, substance abuse, psychiatric disorders, suicide ris... ...f, Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "Children, Violence, and The Media,' (online document) A Report for Parents and Policy Makers. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Senator Orrin G. Hatch, Utah, Chairman, 1999, Sept. 14, Available  Ã‚   (http://www.senate.gov/~judiciary/mediavio.htm)    Mediascope Press, "How Violence Manipulates Viewers." Issue Briefs. Studio City, Calif.: 1997 Available: (http://www.mediascope.org/pubs/ibriefs/hvmv.htm)    Putnam, Robert,   "Bowling Alone" America's Declining Social Capital, Journal of Democracy; 1995, Jan., (pp. 65-68)    Strasburger, Victor C. M.D. Chief, Division of Adolescent Medicine, "How much influence do the media have?" Adolescent Medicine; State of the Art Reviews--Vol. 4, No. 3, October 1993 Philadelphia, Hanley & Belfus, Inc. Available online: http://www.cyfc.umn.edu/Documents/C/B/CB1030.html   

The Industrial Revolution Essay -- History, Machinery, Factory Workers

The Industrial Revolution was an important time period in American history. It greatly affected the economy, industry, and standard of living for people in the United States. It still has everlasting effects to this day. Most of the products we use today are made quickly by the process of mass production. Today, people work on assembly lines using power-driven machines. People of ancient and medieval times had no such products. They had to spend many hours of hand labor to create very simple objects. The energy came from their muscles. Eventually some advancement occurred when people began using animals to help with the work they used to do alone. The Industrial Revolution was the movement in which machinery changed the methods of manufacturing goods and ultimately changed everyday life for workers (Remini). There were many things that helped ignite the Industrial Revolution. The most important change was the invention of machinery to do the work of hand tools, and the factory system. Before the creation of machinery children and adults did most of the work in order to have the products needed for civilized life. The Industrial Revolution was a gradual movement but it was still a radical change from the old way of producing goods. The Industrial Revolution became more powerful each year as new inventions were added into factories. The efficiency of production increased as these machines increased the speed of production. The Industrial Revolution started early in the 1800s in Europe but began late in the middle of the 1800s in America (Daniels & Hyslop pg 271). England was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. The English merchants were ahead in the development of commerce, which increased the demand for more goods. With... ...p us complete our work started with the Industrial Revolution and shows no signs of slowing down (Remini). The Industrial Revolution led to other revolutions, which further advanced our technology. The Transportation Revolution, Communications Revolution, and the Information Revolution can all be traced back to the Industrial Revolution. These revolutions had added to the prosperity of humankind, and each of them had their effects on society. The Industrial Revolution had far more of an impact on us than any other political revolutions of the era, mainly because the effects of the Industrial Revolution last much longer. For example, today we have automobiles, televisions, and computers, which were all made possible because of the effects of the Industrial Revolution. Without the Industrial Revolution, we probably would not have all the luxuries we have today. The Industrial Revolution Essay -- History, Machinery, Factory Workers The Industrial Revolution was an important time period in American history. It greatly affected the economy, industry, and standard of living for people in the United States. It still has everlasting effects to this day. Most of the products we use today are made quickly by the process of mass production. Today, people work on assembly lines using power-driven machines. People of ancient and medieval times had no such products. They had to spend many hours of hand labor to create very simple objects. The energy came from their muscles. Eventually some advancement occurred when people began using animals to help with the work they used to do alone. The Industrial Revolution was the movement in which machinery changed the methods of manufacturing goods and ultimately changed everyday life for workers (Remini). There were many things that helped ignite the Industrial Revolution. The most important change was the invention of machinery to do the work of hand tools, and the factory system. Before the creation of machinery children and adults did most of the work in order to have the products needed for civilized life. The Industrial Revolution was a gradual movement but it was still a radical change from the old way of producing goods. The Industrial Revolution became more powerful each year as new inventions were added into factories. The efficiency of production increased as these machines increased the speed of production. The Industrial Revolution started early in the 1800s in Europe but began late in the middle of the 1800s in America (Daniels & Hyslop pg 271). England was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. The English merchants were ahead in the development of commerce, which increased the demand for more goods. With... ...p us complete our work started with the Industrial Revolution and shows no signs of slowing down (Remini). The Industrial Revolution led to other revolutions, which further advanced our technology. The Transportation Revolution, Communications Revolution, and the Information Revolution can all be traced back to the Industrial Revolution. These revolutions had added to the prosperity of humankind, and each of them had their effects on society. The Industrial Revolution had far more of an impact on us than any other political revolutions of the era, mainly because the effects of the Industrial Revolution last much longer. For example, today we have automobiles, televisions, and computers, which were all made possible because of the effects of the Industrial Revolution. Without the Industrial Revolution, we probably would not have all the luxuries we have today.

Parental Involvement Fosters Student Success Essay -- Education

Educators today, recognize positive influence of parental involvement fosters higher student academic achievement levels (Danielson, 2006; Jacobs & Kritsonis, 2007). One crucial element of parental involvement is effective communication between parents and teachers. Research show parents prefer to establish informal relationships with frequent open and non-judgmental exchanges with their children's teachers (Eberly, Joshi, & Konzal, 2005). Accordingly, this article is to explore key research-based recommendations for school administrators and teacher leaders to identify and overcome communication barriers with parents. Parental Involvement Fosters Student Success Parental involvement as defined by Greene and Tichenor (2003) is participation â€Å"in the educational process by enhancing their parenting skills, developing positive communication skills between home and school, volunteering, providing learning opportunities at home, contribute to decisions that affect schooling, and collaborating with the community in support of the school† (p. 242). Research findings by Henderson (1981; 1987) and Henderson and Berla (1994) identify the following benefits from parental involvement: 1) higher student achievement; 2) increase in student graduation rates; 4) improvement in student behavior and motivation; 5) better school image among parents and students; and 6) increase in parent satisfaction with teachers (as cited in Greene & Tichenor, 2003). Although, participation can vary from parent to parent, Greene and Tichenor (2003), and researchers alike found it to be always beneficial to the student and teacher. In fact, Davern’s 2004 study argues â€Å"positive connections with families are fundamental to providing high-quality e... ...iverse backgrounds as a means to improve student achievement levels in the United States: A National focus. Retrieved May 21, 2012 from, ERIC database. (ED499648). Lasley, M. (2005). Difficult conversations: Authentic communication leads to greater understanding and teamwork. Group Facilitation: A Research and Applications Journal, 7. Retrieved March 9, 2008, from http://www.iaf-world.org/files/members/v7%2013-20%20lasley.pd Richard, H.V., Brown, A.F., & Forde, T.B. (2006). Addressing diversity in schools: Cultural responsive pedagogy. Culturally Responsive Teaching Resources. Retrieved May 23, 2012, from http://www.culturallyresponsiveteachingresources.org/ Robinson, S., Kennedy, S. (2009, July). Standards in practice: an instructional gap analysis. Paper presented at the National Staff Development Council Summer Conference, Boston. Parental Involvement Fosters Student Success Essay -- Education Educators today, recognize positive influence of parental involvement fosters higher student academic achievement levels (Danielson, 2006; Jacobs & Kritsonis, 2007). One crucial element of parental involvement is effective communication between parents and teachers. Research show parents prefer to establish informal relationships with frequent open and non-judgmental exchanges with their children's teachers (Eberly, Joshi, & Konzal, 2005). Accordingly, this article is to explore key research-based recommendations for school administrators and teacher leaders to identify and overcome communication barriers with parents. Parental Involvement Fosters Student Success Parental involvement as defined by Greene and Tichenor (2003) is participation â€Å"in the educational process by enhancing their parenting skills, developing positive communication skills between home and school, volunteering, providing learning opportunities at home, contribute to decisions that affect schooling, and collaborating with the community in support of the school† (p. 242). Research findings by Henderson (1981; 1987) and Henderson and Berla (1994) identify the following benefits from parental involvement: 1) higher student achievement; 2) increase in student graduation rates; 4) improvement in student behavior and motivation; 5) better school image among parents and students; and 6) increase in parent satisfaction with teachers (as cited in Greene & Tichenor, 2003). Although, participation can vary from parent to parent, Greene and Tichenor (2003), and researchers alike found it to be always beneficial to the student and teacher. In fact, Davern’s 2004 study argues â€Å"positive connections with families are fundamental to providing high-quality e... ...iverse backgrounds as a means to improve student achievement levels in the United States: A National focus. Retrieved May 21, 2012 from, ERIC database. (ED499648). Lasley, M. (2005). Difficult conversations: Authentic communication leads to greater understanding and teamwork. Group Facilitation: A Research and Applications Journal, 7. Retrieved March 9, 2008, from http://www.iaf-world.org/files/members/v7%2013-20%20lasley.pd Richard, H.V., Brown, A.F., & Forde, T.B. (2006). Addressing diversity in schools: Cultural responsive pedagogy. Culturally Responsive Teaching Resources. Retrieved May 23, 2012, from http://www.culturallyresponsiveteachingresources.org/ Robinson, S., Kennedy, S. (2009, July). Standards in practice: an instructional gap analysis. Paper presented at the National Staff Development Council Summer Conference, Boston.

Video Games Essay -- Technology Electronics Entertainment Essays

Video Games I. The Video or Computer Game Industry The now multi-billion dollar video game industry starting slowly. In 1972, Atari developed Pong, a simple tennis-like game played on the television screen. Pongwas followed by Space Invadersin 1978 (Griffiths 223). Since then, thousands of games are available over the Internet, on CDROM for personal computers, hand-held units, and television console units like Playstation, Nintento, and Sega. Further, the market has developed beyond just entertainment, now providing educational games that make learning fun. Commercially successful titles sell around 350,000 copies and a few go beyond sales of one million units (Sanchez-Crespo Dalmau 3). Top selling games like Myst (for PCs) and Final Fantasy (for consoles) have sold over six million units (Sanchez-Crespo Dalmau 3). II. Video Games and an Overview of How They Work Put simply, video games are interactive entertainment with sophisticated graphics and speed. They challenge the player’s mental agility, as in games like Myst and it’s sequel Riven (where players solve puzzles and obtain fragments of a story to complete the game) and/or hand-eye agility, like All-Star Baseball, Combat Flight Simulator, and Mortal Combat, typically at increasing levels of difficulty, with some games taking over 100 hours to complete. Although not all games involve opponents and competition, games that are played off-line (not connected to the Internet) allow players to interact with the â€Å"virtual† inhabitants of the game. Games that can be played on-line, facilitate multi-player interactivity and competition over the Internet. Once a video game is loaded, either from CDROM or downloaded from the Internet, the player can ente... ... Griffiths, Mark. â€Å"Computer Game Playing in Early Adolescence.† Youth and Society. (1997): 223-235. Funk, Jeanne B., et al. â€Å"Rating Electronic Games: Violence Is in the Eye of the Beholder.† Youth and Society. 30.2 (1999): 283-213. Peckham, Virginia. â€Å"Well-Connected.† Curriculum Administrator. 36.11 (2000): 26-32. 7 pp. 15 Nov. 2001 Perry, Tekla S. and Paul Wallich. â€Å"Video Games.† McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology 8th ed. 1997. Pooley, Eric. â€Å"Portrait of a Deadly Bond.† Time. 10 May 1999: 26-32. Quittner, Joshua. â€Å"Are Video Games Really So Bad?.† Time. 10 May 1999: 50-58. Seid, Nancy. â€Å"Why War Games Aren’t Child’s Play.† Parents. Nov 2000: 167-174. Tedeschi, Bob. â€Å"Information Overload.† Parents. Nov 2000: 167-174.

Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment

8. Was this a true â€Å"experiment†? If so, what was being tested? In the short story â€Å"Dr. Heidegger's Experiment†, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, rather than observing the effect on people of the water from the Fountain of Youth, there is a true experiment behind. Though the narrator spends chunks of description on how the water changes people’s appearance and action, the inner human nature is what it really tests. As the doctor said before the experiment, â€Å"it would be well that, with the experience of a lifetime to direct you, you should draw up a few general rules for your guidance, in passing a second time through the perils of youth. Though not explicitly shown in the story, it is apparent that the experiment involves more than physical changes. Concerned with the behavior of people, Dr. Heidegger is not just interested in the physical effect of the water. Will anyone ever learn from previous experiences? Will people make the same mistakes if they have a chance to start over? What’s the relationship between age, appearance, and action? The experiment is true for it raises several questionable issues related to human nature and reveals certain answers through the behaviors of the four people in the story. a) Why did he select four people of such similar personality? Would it not have been a more productive and interesting experiment had differing personalities been included? By selecting four people of similar personality, Dr. Heidegger could have a better understanding on his experimental subjects and reached his purpose. One fact in common is that â€Å"they were all sad old creatures who had been unfortunate in life†. Namely, these four elders all squandered their money and reputation due to youthful foolishness.As the purpose was to explore the human nature (whether people would change), he knew that if given a choice to be young again, they would be the ones who wanted to change most. Yet, all of them proved the doctor wrong in the end, which clearly served the purpose of the experiment as well as made it more representative. If differing personalities were included, it would make the experiment harder to conclude, digress from its purpose, and lose its precision.Controlling variables was an important step to reach the result which was to examine whether youthful foolishness could be changed. Besides, it wouldn’t be any more productive since any successful experiment aiming to figure out a general phenomenon requires more than one subject. And in this case, four was a better choice. ? b) What did Dr. Heidegger expect to see? What might have been his initial hypothesis? Support your thinking with reference to the story. Dr. Heidegger expected to see a change in behaviors when the four guests were given a do-over chance.Before they drank the magical water, he reminded them that â€Å"it would be well that, with the experience of a lifetime to direct you, you should draw up a few gener al rules for your guidance, in passing a second time through the perils of youth. † In other words, he wished his four guests would change whatever caused their previous failure and stop making the same mistakes. He hoped to see a positive transformation which the elders used their lifetime wisdom to guide themselves in the right way. However, as high as his expectation appeared to be, his initial hypothesis wasn’t exactly ideal.When he asked the four friends to assist him, he claimed that â€Å"For my own part, having had much trouble in growing old, I am in no hurry to grow young again†. That is, the doctor himself had no intention to be young even though he once had some miserable time, just like his guests. Thus, we can conclude that the reason he just wanted to be an observer was that he believed people would make the same mistakes even granted a second chance. ? c) What, if anything, did he expect his â€Å"subjects† to learn from the experiment? Wha t might have been his purpose?As his guests suffered in their youth and lost their vigor, he might expect them to learn that since people couldn’t change, they might as well accept the reality. After the experiment, Dr. Heidegger said, â€Å"Well – I bemoan it not; for if the fountain gushed at my very doorstep, I would not stoop to bathe my lips in it – no, though its delirium were for years instead of moments. Such is the lesson ye have taught me! † As we can see, Dr. Heidegger knew this water did no good on people except creating illusions. And even in fake reality, people still remained who they used to be without single change despite of their senility. â€Å"Pressing the withered rose to his withered lips† Dr. Heidegger also said that â€Å"I love it as well thus as in its dewy freshness†. Compared with his subjects, Dr. Heidegger appeared to possess more wisdom and virtue, which was the two presents of age. He loved the way he was, fo r his age gave him wisdom. Therefore, all he did was to test his friends with the expectation that they would learn to change, or at least realize the inevitability of old age and death, and then embrace their presence after all these.The purpose of this experiment might be to discover the relationship between age, appearance, and behavior. Age, despite of physical senescence, depends more on the state of mind. Though the guests were seen to act differently due to their youthful appearances, the real reason was their inner self, who they thought they were. However, the experiment also proved that one was not likely to change who he or she really was even given another chance.

Gillette Fusion Essay

Recommendation In order to increase total sales and put Gillette Fusion on track to be a $1 billion business in the next few years, Gillette Fusion should launch a new advertising campaign and reduce cartridge package prices by 20% with the introduction of a onetime coupon. Explanation The media’s reaction to the â€Å"blockbuster† advertisement campaign highlights many of the campaign’s flaws. The campaign focused on the product features rather than its benefits. Due to the ad’s product focus, Gillette failed to communicate why the additional blades and elastomer handle coating improved the quality of consumer’s shave. The proposed advertising campaign would address these flaws and focus on the customer experience. In order to educate consumers, Gillette should employ a mass media campaign similar to Pepsi’s â€Å"Pepsi Challenge.† This campaign will include blindfolded individuals testing and comparing the Gillette Fusion with several other razors, and will be hosted by a celebrity who shares similar brand qualities as the Fusion. The celebrity will be young, sleek and innovative, like Ashton Kutcher or Dwayne Wade. †¢TV Advertisement: The television advertisements will include a short introduction by the celebrity and clips of customers who have taken the challenge describing why the Gillette Fusion is superior to its competitors. It should be featured during male-focused programing, like sporting events and adult comedies. †¢Print Advertisement: The print advertisement will feature a picture of the celebrity next to the razor and several quotes from individuals who have taken the challenge. It should be featured in men’s style magazines (GQ), music magazines (Rolling Stone) and sports magazines (ESPN, Sports Illustrated). †¢Radio Advertisement: The radio advertisement will begin with an introduction by the celebrity describing why he prefers the Gillette Fusion and then transition to reviews by those who have taken the challenge ( i.e. â€Å"The Gillette Fusion is incredible because †¦ If you don’t believe me, hear what people who have taken the challenge have to say for themselves †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). It should be featured during adult talk shows (Howard Stern Show) and sports programming. In order to encourage users to purchase the product, Gillette should offer a 20% discount on cartridges with the introduction of a one time coupon. Because 64% of men look at the price of the cartridge before  purchasing the corresponding razor, introducing a 20% discount with a onetime coupon will encourage those consumers weary of the high cartridge prices to purchase the razor. Once purchasing and using the razor, it is likely that the consumer will notice a significant difference in the quality of shave, and be willing to pay a higher price for the superior product. This is supported by the fact that of the 9,000 men who tested the new razor, Fusion was preferred 2 to 1 over the competition. For the few who would usually not be willing to pay the higher price for the cartridges, they will likely continue to purchase the cartridges because of the switching costs associated with purchasing a new razor. The coupon should be displayed at points of purchase and in direct mail outs. The former can be achieved by providing collaborators with display allowance. Alternative Strategies Unlike the proposed strategy, each of the alternative strategies fails to simultaneously communicate the effectiveness of the product and encourage customers weary of the price to purchase the product. †¢Lowering the retail price of the razor – This will not encourage customers to purchase the product because (a) 64% of consumers look at the cartridge price before purchasing a razor and (b) a razor is a one-time cost to consumers, with a less elasticity of demand than cartridges. Also, without a new advertising campaign, they also will continue not to understand why the product is superior, and more expensive, than its competitors. †¢Reducing cartridge package prices by changing cartridge package size. Reducing the current four cartridge package with three cartridge packages is only effective if consumers fail to register the difference in package size because the price per cartridge will actually increase. Moreover, this strategy fails to educate consumers on why the product is superior, and more expensive, than its competitors.