General Provisions Essay

An obligation is a juridical necessity to give, to do, or not to do. JURIDICAL NECESSITY – juridical tie; connotes that in case of noncompliance, there will be legal sanctions. – An obligation is nothing more than the duty of a person (obligor) to satisfy a specific demandable claim of another person (obligee) which, if breached, is enforceable in court. – A contract necessarily gives rise to an obligation but an obligation does not always need to have a contract. KINDS OF OBLIGATION A. From the viewpoint of â€Å"sanction† – 1. CIVIL OBLIGATION – that defined in Article 1156; an obligation, if not fulfilled when it becomes due and demandable, may be enforced in court through action; based on law; the sanction is judicial due process 2. NATURAL OBLIGATION – defined in Article 1423; a special kind of obligation which cannot be enforced in court but which authorizes the retention of the voluntary payment or performance made by the debtor; based on equity and natural law. (i.e. when there is prescription of duty to pay, still, the obligor paid his dues to the obligee – the obligor cannot recover his payment even there is prescription) the sanction is the law, but only conscience had originally motivated the payment. 3. MORAL OBLIGATION – the sanction is conscience or morality, or the law of the church. (Note: If a Catholic promises to hear mass for 10 consecutive Sundays in order to receive P1,000, this obligation becomes a civil one.) B. From the viewpoint of subject matter -1. REAL OBLIGATION – the obligation to give 2. PERSONAL OBLIGATION – the obligation to do or not to do (e.g. the duty to paint a house, or to refrain from committing a nuisance)

The Muslim World Has Demonstrated Uncertainties Religion Essays

The Muslim World Has Demonstrated Uncertainties Religion Essays The Muslim World Has Demonstrated Uncertainties Religion Essay The Muslim World Has Demonstrated Uncertainties Religion Essay Introduction Although there are over one billion Muslims in the universe, and over 10 million in the West, most treatments of Islam are based on cliches or straight-out bias ( Akbar and Tauris, 2008 ) . The inquiry of international human rights and the Muslim reading is filled with jobs, including the Western point of view that many bookmans have recognized to the content of international instruments and to the treatment environing them. In this essay I will turn to two of import countries of the discourse around Islam and human rights, and in making so will be aware of these furnishings of human rights in Islam as viewed from my as awaited Western position. In Section 1, I will supply a critical analysis of Islamic positions of UDHR, ICCPR, and CEDAW, every bit good as Muslim justifications for the UIDHR. In Section 2, I will discourse the relationship between the Madinah ( the five pillars and the three rules of political, economic and societal establishments ) and how it formed a foundation fo r the Islamic province of Iran every bit good as the construct of the future province of Palestine. Section # 1 The cardinal international instruments codifying human rights norms are the UDHR, the ICCPR and CEDAW. The Muslim universe has demonstrated uncertainnesss in using each of these instruments. As respects the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights ( UDHR ) , these uncertainnesss may be partially due to a deficiency of committedness from the beginning, every bit good as a failure to expect the long-run deductions of signing such instruments. Mayer has noted that the ballots in favour by [ aˆÂ ¦ ] the little figure of Muslim states that were already UN members in 1948 did non uncover the ambivalency and cleavages that would later emerge ( 2006, p.3 ) . Although those Muslim states accepted 2nd coevals rights, they lacked both the committedness and resources to guarantee that their criterions were realized ( Mayer, 2006, p.3 ) . Many of those same Muslim states showed they were non prepared to esteem the cardinal UDHR principal of the equality of all human existences, and co ntinued know aparting against adult females, against racial and spiritual groups, against disfavored ethnicities and autochthonal peoples, and/or against the colonised peoples whom they ruled ( Mayer, 2006, p.4 ) . As respects the protection of the specific human rights of adult females, Mayer has besides commented that there are considerable Muslim reserves as respects the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women ( CEDAW ) ( 2006, p.19 ) . The 1996 ICCPR represented a move towards codification of human rights that was more representative of Eastern every bit good as Western values. Indeed, the dramatic disparity between the 1948 UDHR and the 1996 ICCPR illustrated how the really different historical experiences of Western colonists and the peoples whom they occupied affected their several human rights precedences ( Mayer, 2006, p.4 ) . This instrument is more delighting within the Muslim construct of human rights, and more easy implemented within Muslim states that the UDHR. However, the ICCPR besides included an of import article sing freedom of faith: Article 18 of the ICCPR [ aˆÂ ¦ ] to separately or in community with others and in public or private, to attest his faith or belief in worship, observation, pattern, and learning ( Witte and van der Vyyer, 1996, p.279 ) . This article is often ignored in certain Muslim states, such as Iran, where the freedom to pattern and more specifically to non pattern certa in spiritual observations is restricted. The enforcement of certain frock codifications for adult females in Iran is a cardinal illustration of this limitation. In add-on to these international instruments, the Universal Islamic Declaration of Human Rights ( UIDHR ) was adopted by the Islamic Council in 1981. This can be considered a consequence of the fact in which preparations of human rights have frequently been made in Islamic footings, proposing that Islam is a critical factor impacting Muslim s receptiveness to human rights constructs ( Mayer, 1998, p.1 ) . The UIDHR represents a type of Islamification of the constructs contained in the preexistent international human rights instruments. In fact, many of the same rules contained in the UDHR and the ICCPR are repeated in the UIDHR. As noted in Human Rights in Global Positions: Religious Positions, the UIDHR does incorporate the mentions found in the discourse of international jurisprudence. For illustration, Article X, titled Rights of Minorities , provinces: The Quranic rule that there is no irresistible impulse in faith shall regulate the spiritual rights of non-Muslim states. In a Muslim state, spiritual minorities shall hold the pick to be governed in regard of their civil and personal affairs by Islamic Law or by their owns Torahs. Article XIII provides every individual with the right to freedom of scruples and worship in conformity with one s spiritual beliefs, while article XII ( vitamin E ) forbids roasting, keeping in disdain, or motivating public ill will against the spiritual beliefs of others ( Witte and van der Vyyer, 1996, p.396 ) . It is unsure whether the standard value of this new codification of human rights to Muslim audiences is that its content is more dependable with Islamic values, or if it is the writing itself that is of greater importance. Sing the similarities in the substantial rights protected, one admirations if the drafting of this papers was an exercising for the Muslim universe in taking ownership of the international human rights discourse, instead than being for the intent of doing important substantial alterations to the rights and imposts recognized within. However, some substantial alterations were decidedly introduced in the content of the UIDHR. As noted in Religious Human Rights in Global Positions: Religious Positions, the UIDHR is non without its ain qualified transitions as respects freedom of look. Although article XII ( a ) provides every individual with the right to show his ideas and beliefs, it is merely so long as he remains within the bounds approved by the Law, which, in the Arabic version, reads, the Shariah, the peculiar word for Islamic jurisprudence. [ aˆÂ ¦ ] the UIDHR was drafted in response to the supposed inclination among Western rights advocators and bookmans to except Islam from the cultural sphere where human rights were conceived and proclaimed and where they retain intending ( Witte and van der Vyyer, 1996, p.397 ) Section # 2 The Madinah the five pillars and the three rules as a political, economic and societal establishments has been included in changing ways in the foundation of a series of Islamic provinces and imperiums. Some have argued that the values that underlie the five pillars of Islam are besides core values for Muslim passive resistance action ( Esack, 2006, p.141 ) . Esack has besides noted that Zakah, one of the five chief pillars of Islam, is aimed at sing distributive societal justness and authorization of the weak ( 2006, p.145 ) . In pattern, nevertheless, those values have besides been used to convey about violent action and societal favoritism. In peculiar, the Madinah has played an of import function in the constitution of the current Persian government, and is besides going progressively outstanding in the treatment environing the motion for an independent Palestinian province. As respects to Iran, the illustration cited above of frock limitations for adult females is a clear presentation of the failure to esteem what Esack has identified as the distribution of justness and the warrant of societal justness for weaker groups. Rather than utilizing the Madinah to further regard for single human rights, it became a tool of use in the custodies of those who wanted power, as spiritual codifications frequently do. In peculiar, Esack has noted that the Muslim faith was used as a radicalizing factor to dispute bing authorization figures. He states faith has so at times supported, or even brought approximately, radical state of affairss. New spiritual readings did much to convey about the radicalization of faith which terminated monarchial regulation in Iran ( 1979 ) and [ aˆÂ ¦ ] unnoticed by perceivers of Iran, have on away the authorization of the established clergy every bit good ( 2006, p.53 ) . This radicalization came in response to an every bit utmost duty of secularisation in Iran after World War I. It is interesting to observe that radicalism can be every bit in both faith and secularism, and that either of these frequently creates radicalism of the opposite sort. It has been asserted that the coercive and intrusive mode in which secularisation was forced by autocratic governments in Turkey and Iran after the terminal of the First World War [ aˆÂ ¦ ] aggravated [ aˆÂ ¦ ] confusion and intensified [ aˆÂ ¦ ] contention over the issue of whether Islam allows differentiation between faith and province ( Witte and van der Vyyer, 1996, p.350 ) . Therefore, the values that many believe to be personified in the Madinah, including equality, regard for single freedoms, societal justness and passive resistance were in many ways abandoned. Alternatively, Islamic rules were influence to warrant and air policies hostile to civil and political rights which were promo ted by authoritiess in states like Iran ( Mayer, 2006, p.18 ) . The radicalization of the Medinah is in many ways responsible for this result. Domestic and international support for an independent Palestinian province has besides taken on an progressively Muslim attack, peculiarly in the aftermath of the 2008-2009 invasion of Gaza. Support for the Islamic group Hamas, whose election sparked that invasion, has continued to turn. Esack has noted that at present, re-interpreted spiritual thoughts feed the opposition motion in Palestine and feed resistances that are sacredly articulated and politically motivated where the conflict lines are drawn ( 2006, p.53 ) . International protagonists have encouraged representatives of the hereafter Palestinian province have urged them to show their statements in footings that refer to international human rights instruments, instead than Muslim public speech production, in order to make a wider audience and to beef up great international support for the Palestinian cause. The affair of an independent Palestine has besides helped to determine up response throughout the Muslim universe as respects self finding. The great shop that people in Muslim states topographic point by the right of self finding correlatives closely with Muslims preoccupation with Palestinians failure after decennaries of battle to set up an independent Palestine ( Mayer, 2006, p.25 ) . This demonstrates that this recent move towards the faith of the Palestine treatment is a response to decennaries of failure to get the better of subjugation, instead than deep-seated strong beliefs. The psychological failing that has resulted from so many old ages of agony has created an increased potency for maltreatment, non merely of the Palestinians themselves, but besides of perceivers elsewhere in the Muslim universe. In fact, it has been suggested that authoritiess in Muslim states are working this preoccupation with the Palestinians predicament, and have frequently encouraged people t o concentrate on Palestinians long-thwarted national release battle as manner to squelch and debar popular demands for expanded rights and freedoms on the domestic scene ( Mayer, 2006, p.25 ) . Section # 3 Before taking this class, I was nt really educated with the subject of Women in Islam in great item. Partially due to my current abode in North America, and my deficiency of attending with reading or watching the intelligence. As a Muslim, I was witting of a lone some points that were in relation to Women in Islam with respect to a few of the responsibilities a adult female should prosecute. Rules that disallowed adult females to direct Salaat ( supplication ) with work forces in melody with the day-to-day supplications ; an illustration of how adult females are purely forbidden to expose their hair or any signifier of tegument which could go forth the opposite gender to take its class in thought of haram ( iniquitous ) Acts of the Apostless. As a pupil, in July, I was really much intrigued by the rubric of this class due to the word Islamic . As a Muslim, one should experience proud to hold that word in show right in forepart of their eyes on the proctor. Without reading the description, I expected to derive cognition of more about my faith, the political relations behind it. Because of my deficiency in cognition from non reading or watching the intelligence, I was trusting to larn and maintain up-to-date with recent events continuing in the Muslim universe today. Due to changeless absences because of my unwellness and spiritual observation, as a pupil in the category and at place I learnt many important facets of the faith in respects to the Sharia. Certain critical figures of the past 50 old ages ( e.g. Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Mostafawi Mousawi Khomeini ) , larning about the methods in registration behind the Al-Qaeda, and the current categorization of Jihad. Having passed this class, with consent of the Professor, I intend to larn more and delve deeper into a shoebox of the recent issues with mention to Muslims and hope to distribute my ain message through the current community work and place I presently reside on. I wish to discourse to my fellow young person and through treatments, educate them, with the cognition that I have acquired. I excessively, happen this as an chance to go on on in broadening my positions on the topic through reading and watching the intelligence.

Essay on How marketing strategy can build customer loyalty

Essay on How marketing strategy can build customer loyalty Essay on How marketing strategy can build customer loyalty Essay on How marketing strategy can build customer loyalty  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Today the hotel industry is considered to be a global industry because customers and producers can be found in all parts of the world. For many customers, such services and hotel facilities as guestrooms, restaurants, bars, spa centers and a wide range of wellness services are â€Å"no longer considered a luxury† (Carev, 2008, p. 10). Marketing strategy aimed at building customer loyalty plays an important role in the hotel industry. Researchers believe that â€Å"in the last decades, demand for supply of hospitality services beyond that of traditional services intended for travelers have escalated the growth of the hospitality industry globally, leading to intense competition in the marketplace† (Carev, 2008, p. 11). Recent studies of the effectiveness of the hotel industry point out to the fact that it is necessary to improve loyalty of customers by â€Å"promoting interpersonal service encounters to build long-term relationships between customers and hotels† (Wang, 2007, p. 23). Today researchers provide massive opportunities for the successful marketing operations in the hotel industry. Hotel organizations face considerable challenges caused by the increased rate of competition. According to researchers, â€Å"competition has major implications for the customer, providing increased choice, greater value for money and augmented level of service† (Carev, 2008, p. 11). This study discusses how marketing strategy can build customer loyalty in the hotel industry.Research objectives  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The major research objectives include:To explore the role of marketing strategy in building customer loyalty in the hotel industry;To assess the proper strategies aimed at expanding customer loyalty;To find the proper ways to measure customer loyalty in the hotel industry.Rationale of the studyThis study is focus ed on exploring one of the most significant issues in the hotel industry marketing – the role of customer loyalty in the hotel industry. Marketing strategy can effectively build customer loyalty, providing benefits to customers and making hotel organizations more appealing due to price discounting. Hotel organizations should be focused on the delivery of high quality services to ensure customer satisfaction, which has a strong impact on the loyalty of customers (Liu, 2008).Definition of the key termsCustomer loyaltyCustomer satisfactionCustomer valueLiterature review  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This section reviews the literature on the role of marketing strategy in building the loyalty of customers in hotel industry. Marketing strategy specially developed for customer loyalty programs in the hotel industry guarantees success if the loyalty of potential customers is properly measured and expanded.Building customer loyalty is crucial in the successful implement ation of marketing strategy in the field of hotel industry. According to researchers, â€Å"since the beginning of the 1990s, customer loyalty has gained importance both in relationship marketing research and in business†(Cahill, 2006, p. 6). In the hotel industry, the loyalty of customers can be attributed to the increased role of changing competition environments. Marketers should assess the potential value generated by the loyalty of customers (Cahill, 2006). In other words, they should assess how loyal are the consumers of their products and services. The relationship marketing approach allows finding the proper strategies to expand customer loyalty (Cahill, 2006).Besides, it has been found that there is a close relationship between customer loyalty and the organization’s profitability. As a result, marketing strategy plays an important role in building customer loyalty, which affects the hotel organization’s profitability (Carev, 2006). Researchers state th at â€Å"when a company retains just 5 percent more of its customers, profits increase by 25 percent to 125 percent† (Carev, 2006, p. 3). Marketers need the appropriate information to develop effective marketing strategies aimed at loyal customers.In addition, customer loyalty can be recognized as the key factor in the development of any business organization.   Kandampully and Suhartanto (2000) explore the relationship between customer loyalty, customer satisfaction, and the company’s image. The researchers have identified the key factors of the company’s image and customer satisfaction that have a positive relation to the loyalty of customers in the hotel industry (Kandampully Suhartanto, 2000). They provided the information taken from the chain of hotels located in New Zealand. It has been revealed that â€Å"hotel image and customer satisfaction with the performance of housekeeping, reception, food and beverage, and price are positively correlated to cus tomer loyalty† (Kandampully Suhartanto, 2000, p. 346).It is very important to understand that in order to expand customer loyalty, it is necessary to increase customer satisfaction. According to researchers, â€Å"low quality service leads to low satisfaction, discouraging guests form returning†(Carev, 2006, p. 1).   Actually, this assumption is taken into consideration by many hotel owners who are focused on expansion of loyalty (Carev, 2006). In other words, a hotel organization should provide high quality services to gain customer satisfaction and expand customer loyalty. Researchers suggest that hotel managers and hotel executives should use the proper strategies to influence the quality of services, brand loyalty, brand image and brand awareness in the hotel organizations, taking into consideration the relations between customer loyalty and brand equity (Kayaman Huseyin, 2007).In addition, hotel organizations aimed at expanding customer loyalty have more chance s to avoid certain challenges caused by competition. Service quality is the key factor that helps to expand the loyalty of potential customers. Hotel organizations provide effective loyalty programs that can be viewed as marketing strategy aimed at enhancing customer loyalty (Kayaman Huseyin, 2007; Wang, 2007). According to researchers, â€Å"corporate image is influenced both by service quality and customer satisfaction, which in turn influences customer loyalty† (Kandampully Hu, 2007, p. 434). In other words, the key to expanding customer loyalty is to foster the image of the hotel organization through improved service quality and an increased number of satisfying customers (Kandampully Hu, 2007).Measuring loyalty stands for measuring the loyalty factors that includes the following aspects:saying positive things about the hotel;recommending the hotel to other customers who need the advice in this field;encouraging other customers to use the services of this hotel;conside ring the hotel the best option to buy services or products;maintaining business relationships with the hotel in the next years (Carev, 2008, p. 16).As customer loyalty helps to protect the hotel organization from the effects of direct competition, measuring loyalty guarantees positive outcomes. It is very important to place emphasis on the dynamism of competition forces to assess customer value and its impact on the loyalty of customers. In general, marketers can measure customer loyalty by assessing the intention of customers to repurchase the services provided by the hotel organization, as well as by assessing customer satisfaction (Brennan et al., 2010; Carev, 2008). Those hotel organizations that are aimed at measuring the loyalty of their customers are focused on measuring customer satisfaction (Pearson, 2012). In some cases, they may face serious challenges because customer satisfaction is considered to be â€Å"the Trojan horse of loyalty† (Pearson, 2012, p. 56).   H otel organizations should develop the proper marketing strategy that will make investment in the so-called loyal customers, who will promote enduring relationships in the field of the hotel industry (Pearson, 2012). Besides, customer loyalty can be measured by â€Å"environmental attribute, managerial attribute and social attribute† (Liu, 2008, p. 49). These attributes give explanation to customer behavior and the intention to repurchase products and services. Marketers should take into consideration the changing tastes of customers in order to improve the quality of products and services (Liu, 2008).Marketing strategy should be focused on building the relationship with customers. According to recent research â€Å"inspired by the airlines’ success, most major hotel chains have developed loyalty programs that reward customers for repeat business†(Hu et al., 2010, p. 128).   The effectiveness of reward programs in building the relationships with loyal customers help to alter certain patterns of their behavior. The timing of rewards has a strong impact on customer loyalty for the hotel industry due to the moderated customer satisfaction (Hu et al., 2010).Research questionsThere are several research questions that help to discuss the importance of customer loyalty in the hotel industry:Is customer loyalty really critical to doing a successful business in the hotel industry field?What value does a satisfied customer may return to the hotel organization?Critical discussion of data /evidence required  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The key factors that influence the development of customer loyalty in the hotel industry should be properly assessed. It has been found that the most important determinant for customer loyalty is customer satisfaction (Carev, 2008, p. 10). The main issues for the discussion should be focused on quality of services which may encourage customers’ satisfaction and make customers perform the repeating visits to the same hotel organization (Rosenbaum et al., 2005). The required data or evidence is valid and can be effectively used in the research. Critical review of different studies on the role of marketing strategy in building customer loyalty has been done based on the useful evidence-based sources.

Chaac, the Ancient Mayan God of Rain

Chaac, the Ancient Mayan God of Rain Chaac (spelled variously Chac, Chaak, or Chaakh; and referred to in scholarly texts as God B) is the name of the rain god in the Maya religion. As with many Mesoamerican cultures that based their living on rain-dependent agriculture, the ancient Maya felt a particular devotion for the deities controlling rain. Rain gods or rain-related deities were worshiped beginning in very ancient times  and were known under many names among different Mesoamerican people. Identifying Chaac For example, the Mesoamerican rain god was known as Cocijo by the Late Formative period Zapotec of the Oaxaca Valley, as Tlaloc by the Late Postclassic Aztec people in Central Mexico; and of course as Chaac among the ancient Maya. Chaac was the Maya god of rain, lightning, and storms. He is often represented holding jade axes and snakes that he uses to throw at the clouds to produce rain. His actions assured the growth of maize and other crops in general as well as maintaining the natural cycles of life. Natural events of different intensities from the vivifying rain and wet season storms, to the more dangerous and destructive hailstorms and hurricanes, were considered manifestations of the god. Characteristics of the Mayan Rain God For the ancient Maya, the rain god had a particularly strong relationship with rulers, because- at least for the earlier periods of Maya history- rulers were considered rainmakers, and in later periods, were thought able to communicate and intercede with the gods. The alter-egos of Maya shamans and rulers roles often overlapped, especially in the Preclassic period. The pre-classic shaman-rulers were said to be able to reach the inaccessible places where the rain gods dwelled, and intercede with them for the people. These deities were believed to live on the tops of mountains and in high forests which were often hidden by clouds. These were the places where, in the rainy seasons, the clouds were hit by Chaac and his helpers and the rains were announced by thunder and lightning. Four Directions of the World According to Maya cosmology, Chaac was also linked to the four cardinal directions. Each world direction was connected with one aspect of Chaac and a specific color: Chaak Xib Chaac, was the Red Chaac of the EastSak Xib Chaac, the White Chaac of the NorthEx Xib Chaac, the Black Chaac of the West, andKan Xib Chaac, the Yellow Chaac of the South Collectively, these were called the Chaacs or Chaacob or Chaacs (plural for Chaac) and they were worshiped as deities themselves in many parts of the Maya area, especially in Yucatn. In a burner ritual reported in the Dresden and Madrid codexes and said to be conducted to ensure copious rains, the four Chaacs had different roles: one takes the fire, one begins the fire, one gives scope to the fire, and one puts out the fire. When the fire was lit, hearts of sacrificial animals were cast into it and the four Chaac priests poured jugs of water to put out the flames. This Chaac ritual was performed twice each year, once in the dry season, once in the wet. Chaac Iconography Even though Chaac is one of the most ancient of Maya deities, almost all of the known representations of the god are from the Classic and Postclassic periods (AD 200-1521). Most of the surviving images depicting the rain god are on Classic period painted vessels and Postclassic codexes. As with many Maya gods, Chaac is portrayed as a blend of human and animal characteristics. He has reptilian attributes and fish scales, a long curly nose, and a protruding lower lip. He holds the stone ax used to produce lightning and wears an elaborate headdress. Chaac masks are found protruding from Maya architecture at many Terminal Classic period Maya sites such as Mayapn and Chichen Itza. Mayapns ruins include the Hall of Chaac Masks (Building Q151), thought to have been commissioned by Chaac priests around AD 1300/1350. The earliest possible representation of a pre-classic Maya rain god Chaac recognized to date is carved into the face of Stela 1 at Izapa, and dated to the Terminal Preclassic Period about AD 200. Chaac Ceremonies Ceremonies in honor of the rain god were held in each Maya city and at different levels of society. Rituals to propitiate rain took place in the agricultural fields, as well as in more public settings such as plazas. Sacrifices of young boys and girls were carried out in especially dramatic periods, such as after a prolonged period of drought. In Yucatan, rituals asking for rains are documented for the Late Postclassic and Colonial periods. In the sacred cenote of Chichà ©n Itz, for example, people were thrown and left to drown there, accompanied by precious offerings of gold and jade. Evidence of other, less lavish ceremonies have also been documented by archaeologists in caves and karstic wells all over the Maya area. As part of the care of a cornfield, members of historic period Maya communities in the Yucatan peninsula today held rain ceremonies, in which all the local farmers participated. These ceremonies reference the chaacob, and the offerings included balche, or corn beer. Updated by K. Kris Hirst Sources Aveni AF. 2011. Maya Numerology. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 21(02):187-216.de Orellana M, Suderman M, Maldonado Mà ©ndez Ó, Galavitz R, Gonzlez Aktories S, Camacho Dà ­az G, Alegre Gonzlez L, Hadatty Mora Y, Maldonado Nà ºÃƒ ±ez P, Castelli C et al. 2006. Rituals of Corn. Artes de Mà ©xico(78):65-80.Estrada-Belli F. 2006. Lightning Sky, Rain, and the Maize God: The Ideology of Preclassic Maya Rulers at Ancient Mesoamerica 17:57-78.Cival, Peten, Guatemala.Milbrath S, and Lope CP. 2009. Survival and revival of Terminal Classic traditions at Postclassic Mayapn. Latin American Antiquity 20(4):581-606.Miller M and Taube KA. 1993. The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya: An Illustrated Dictionary of Mesoamerican Religion. Thames and Hudson: London.Pà ©rez de Heredia Puente EJ. 2008. Chen K’u: The Ceramic of the Sacred Cenote at Chichà ©n Itz. Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc. (FAMSI): Tulane, Louisiana.Sharer RJ and Traxler, LP . 2006. The Ancient Maya. Sixth Edition. Stanford University Press: Stanford, California.

International Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 5

International Marketing - Essay Example Conclusion and findings 10 11. References 11 1. Introduction The marketing concept stipulates that the marketing managers ought to meet, anticipate as well as to satisfy the needs of the customers (Strydom, 2004). Of notable concern is the fact that organizations during the contemporary period operate in global environments and their activities are affected by a wide range of factors. It can be noted that there are major environmental influences that affect global and international markets. As such, this paper seeks to evaluate the factors that impact on Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). This organization belongs to the international fast food category. The paper starts by outlining the historical background of the company and the main part will discuss various factors that affect the organization in the environment in which it operates. The paper will also outline some of the strategies that can be implemented in order to improve the effectiveness of the organization. 2. Brief history a bout KFC Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) was founded in 1938 by Colonel Harland Sanders in Kentucky. Sanders’ legacy lives on with KFC operating more than â€Å"13,000 restaurants in more than 80 countries and territories around the world serving up the Colonel’s Original Recipe,† (KFC, 2013). KFC mainly specialises in fried chicken which is quite different from the products that are offered by other competitors in the same industry. The founder of the company developed 11 unique recipes using a variety of seasonings to flavour chicken and this has significantly contributed to the success of the company. The company is very popular in different market environments it operates in across the globe. The products offered appeal to the interests of many people and this has helped the company to create a strong base of loyal customers. 3. Company’s rationale behind internationalization KFC is regarded as one of the first fast food industries to go international du ring the 1950s. The rationale behind the company’s internationalization drive was to attract a substantial number of customers so that it can sustain its operations across the globe. The company also sought to establish itself as a force to reckon with in the fast food industry across the globe. The company was mainly interested in developing its brand so that it can attract as many people as possible across the globe. However, KFC has encountered some challenges in its global operations where it can be seen that the fast food industry is comprised of competition. In order to successfully penetrate the global markets, the company ought to design a careful strategy given that the international market is comprised of competition from other rival competitors like McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King. The company also faces challenges in that it lacks expertise in diversifying its products since it mainly concentrate on chicken. Of notable concern is that fact that t he fast food industry is comprised of different segments which include some of the following: family restaurants, sandwich chains, pizza shops, grill as well as chicken chains among other factors. Research has shown that McDonalds dominates in market segments such as burger while KFC dominates in the chicken segment. As such, an effective marketing strategy will help the company to gain a large market share in its operations. 4. Mode of entry in different countries The company used Harland Sanders’ franchising strategy to expand its operations in the international

The role of social media in managing customer relationship Essay

The role of social media in managing customer relationship - Essay Example The essay will encompass the role of social media in managing customer relationships. At the current epoch modern business firms face cut throat competition among themselves. Most of the contemporary economies in the world abide by the free market principles. ‘Consumerism’ is the pivotal goal or motto of almost all the enterprises in the modern world. Business firms can never be successful in generating economic surplus without enhancing and modifying customer relationships. Buyers view for a commodity or a service manufactured by a business firm largely influences the brand loyalty and image of the company. This in turn affects the gross turnover of the organization. Thus, implementing strategies to win over customer relationships is the primary success factor for any corporate business organization. With the progress and development of Information Technology, business firms have enjoyed substantial economic surplus with the help of the modern marketing methodologies. S ocial Media is a tool that has upgraded and modified itself over time to help business organizations built efficient and good customer relations. Social media involves certain internet sites that help the people freely communicate with each other through writings, videos and pictures. With the advantages of social media, constrains like distance and time differentials have reduced to a large extent. Modern individuals can never think of a life without the social networking sites. In the late 19th century, the CompuServe was the first social network site available in United States. Over the time, the percentage of internet users has significantly increased. The modern social networking sites like YouTube have 4 billion viewers per day. Facebook users are as high as 1.11 billion. 255 million users for LinkedIn, 87 million members for Flickr, 500 million users for Twitter shows the gross popularity of social networking sites in the modern world. Such sites are used for both economic an d non economic purposes. Modern business firm’s uses social networking sites for marketing their manufactured products and achieving customer’s loyalty. Customer Relationship Management is a pivotal theory of consumer behaviour management. Social media has largely helped the corporate retail firms to anticipate the requirements and demands of the contemporary potential customers. Thus, at this juncture it is highly rational to analyze the role of social media in facilitating corporate customer relationships. This essay will enumerate the various aspects and perspectives of social media. It will also throw light on the superior and inferior outcomes generated by social media over time. The learnt from this academic based essay would surely enable readers to acquire an implicit knowledge about the benefits and problems of social media augmenting customer relations. Critical analysis Impact of social media on customer relations The discussion presented above shows that th e social media is a platform that is rising in importance among the marketers. In this context, it must be understood that the social media has both positive and negative impacts on consumer relationship. The positive impacts have been discussed below followed by the negative impacts. Social media as a public forum provides a strong way to establish customer relationship and increasingly engage them into the process of designing, producing and distributing products. There is a huge difference between social media and other forms of communication, such as telephones. The difference is that telephones provide one to one communication among the people that are participating in the conversation, but the social media is such a forum in which a very large number of people that are virtually present in the forum can participate in the conversation. This allows all customers to review the opinions of other consumers. Thus, it makes the information conveyed across the target population very fast and also allows the companies

Homeland Security - Response & Recovery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Homeland Security - Response & Recovery - Essay Example , when to release it?, how to release it?, where to release it?, whom to release it to?, and why to release it?† (Leader for Leaders, 2010). The first step I will take before making any public interviews or communication is to analyze the different stakeholders involved in the specific disaster scenario. This entails the identification and relationship of various stakeholders to the current situation. The second step I will take after identifying the different stakeholders is to determine what specific goals or objectives I have to achieve so the needs of all those involved are addressed. Last but not the least is the third step where an appropriate technique for appraising results is established (Goldschmid, 2011). In a disaster situation, the stakeholders are the general public and the various agencies who are involved in the operation. Having been able to determine those concerned in the disaster scenario, my objective now as the Director of Media Relations is how to communi cate effectively with all of them bearing in mind the factors of communication failure and success. According to Leaders for Leaders (2010) there are five types of communication letdowns that often jeopardize the success of an operation in disaster situations. These communication letdowns or failures which I must avoid are: â€Å"1. ... Therefore the messages given out by the various agencies involved in the operation must be consistent with each other so that the people do not lose faith in officials making the statements. Aside from this a back-up plan must be established when and if the normal communication lines get damaged, which makes it hard for everyone to communicate with each other. A perfect example is the time when Hurricane Hugo devastated South Carolina, where all the communications of relief agencies from various levels of the government were unable to coordinate with each other making the whole relief operation inefficient (Miskel, 2006). The next kind of communication failure is the information released late, where the public is left guessing as to what is really happening and what they should do. In cases of disaster an immediate answer is necessary to prevent the people from taking steps to follow the advises of others whose only interest is to take advantage of the present situation. The third co mmunication failure is paternalistic attitudes where certain facts are withheld. It is essential that people must be given the true facts about the situation and are given the leeway to come up to their own conclusion. By telling the public what they need to know, they are in a better position to decide whether they should or should not be worried about the disaster that happened (Leaders for Leaders, 2010). The fourth communication failure is not countering rumors in real-time. To be able to respond to false information, agencies involved in the recovery operations must monitor the situation as it progresses. This involves being tuned to all information outlets like broadcasts from television and radio