Obstacles in Pursuing an Education Essay

Obstacles in Pursuing an Education Pursuing an education doesn’t always go as smoothly as we wish. In today’s society many people believe indulging in corporate jobs, and businesses is the only way to be successful. In most cases the way to achieve this is for students to further their education beyond just a high school diploma. In the Midst of reading â€Å"A Homemade Education† written by Author Malcolm X, I have come to realize that sometimes people have to work hard to overcome inhibitions, and setbacks. Students need the ability to overcome common obstacles, an essential factor for pursuing and education. The most common of obstacles include paying tuition, self-discipline and even just a lack of retaining knowledge as easy as others. Paying school tuition, for some people, can be the biggest obstacle to overcome .While some people grow up into a family with riches and inherit all of their families assets, others have to make it own their own. In order to have a top notch education, to fit i nto a top notch society, you must have top notch dollars. Although it seems to be impossible to do without plowing into debt, earning tuition can be hard; yet reachable goal. Financial aid, student loans, scholarships and much more are available for people to take advantage of. Every small amount counts! How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Suppose Money isn’t the obstacle. Sometimes self-discipline for some can be a huge factor in staying committed to pursuing an education. What if its wasting money that is at stake? In some cases students get enrolled into college, get comfortable with their environment, and slack off. They start procrastinating and coming up with reasons to put off til tomorrow what can be done today. Staying focused and disciplined can be a huge issue at times. Not only is it important to stay focused, but is of great importance that you stay motivated. Some people find it hard to retain knowledge as well as others. Its not always easy just show up to class and understand every minute of a lecture. That is why it’s imperative for students to study and go beyond the bounds of the classroom to obtain knowledge. Malcolm X wasn’t the brightest bulb on the tree, but in his own personal studies he overcame that . Malcolm wanted to be able to speak with intelligence, and read a book and understand. â€Å"I saw that the best thing i could do was get hold of a dictionary†, Malcolm wrote as he reflected his essay â€Å"A Homemade Education†. Malcolm didn’t sit around and wait for intelligence to come to him, he went after it. There is nothing wrong with wanting more out of life and your career, and so we seek to a higher level of education. Paying tuition, self-discipline and even just a lack of retaining knowledge can be in the way of pursuing an education. Not everything comes with ease, and that is why we have to learn to overcome the common obstacles in life.

Tripadvisor

1. Why do consumers write reviews? Most users were pleased with their hotel or travel experience, so they wanted to share them to others. On the contrary, some write review because they aren’t satisfied with hotel’s service or facilities and feel disappointed. A few want to have a conversation or take it as a shortcut to reach management. In summary, consumers write reviews because they feel that it is useful to get advice from the website and want to exchange useful information and experience with others. 2. Why is Tripadvisor appealing to consumers?Tripadvisor displays detailed ,rich and relevant data for use by consumers in their travel planning. Tripadvisor can guarantee authenticity by examining all data entered to insure that no fraud data. A sophisticated algorithm is used to calculate the ranking taking into consideration the quantity, quality ,age of reviews and external data . So it provides unbiased information which win the trust of consumers. Potential cons umer can use this vast pool of data to help evaluate alternatives during the consumer decision making process.This â€Å"world of mouth† information is perceived as being more vivid, easier to use and more trustworthy than marketer-provided information. 3. How would you measure how â€Å"engaged† people are with Tripadvisor? Can you suggest some â€Å"actionable† metrics that Tripadvisor might be using in how it interacts with its user base? There are several measures can evaluate how people â€Å"engaged†: * Registration date * Log-in frequency * Numbers of reviews ,photos or videos posted * Update frequency of reviews, photos or videos. How long people remain activity status * Ranking of reviews or photos * Interactive with others on the forums * Average days each user spend on TA * Average time each user spend every log-in. 4. What do hotel owners and property managers feel about Tripadvisor? How does Tripadvisor manage to create the balance between co nsumers and hotel managers? 5. How does Tripadvisor monetize its UGC? How does it differ from many of the other UGC sites on the Internet (pick a few for comparison)? Tripadvisor use three main sources to monetize its UGC: Text links take users to hotels which could charge to TA on a cost-per-click basis. Once user click into the hotel link,the hotel should pay TA from $0. 25 to $1. * Display advertising on the basis of cost-per-thousand impression. That is showing advertising for thousand time then charge once. * â€Å"Business listing† service business owner to promote their TA listing by adding contact information or discount to consumer via coupons. There are many UGC website, some have the same profit model, some have different profit model.Take â€Å"secondlife † as example, its main business are virtual  community and games,its profib model are rental of virtual land, membership fee, Exchange fee of virtual goods. ect. One Chinese SNS website named â€Å"Kaix in†,its profit model are advertising,virtual money to buy game tools. 6. Why has Tripadvisor been so successful in hotel reviews? Why is it not known for restaurants even though it has user reviews on over half-a-million restaurants? 7. Can Tripadvisor replicate its success in China, vacation rentals and flights?If so, how would you prioritize them? So far, it is hard to say whether it is success in China or not. It has several challenges and competition is serious. * China is a huge potential market , but currently there are relatively small portion of population travel frequently, and most travel place are in China. International background is not the unique advantage. * Small portion people will choose online travel booking , most of them will rely on travel agency especially when they are going to travel abroad.When they travel in China,they are prefer to call the hotel for booking rather than online. As we know ,large amount of user are basis of UGC website. Without it, i t is hard to make profit. * There are more than 5 strong local competitors such as â€Å"qyer†,†mafengwo†in China market. These local competitors have the same business model with Tripadvisor but are more familiar with Chinese markets and Chinese travel habits So far ,these UGC travel website are all in the stage of attracting user to visit website and

Coast4Life Inc.

This report outlines the strategic options available to Coast4Life for the upcoming fiscal year. Through my research, I have identified the current situational analysis that is necessary to be considered for the options that will be provided in this report. Current situational analysis: Vision: Coast4Life cruise will be the first choice for vacationers who are seeking a safe, enjoyable and unique cruise experience in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Mission: Coast4Life meets the needs of vacationers by offering safe, enjoyable and unique cruises along BC coast at affordable prices and at a high quality of service.Coast4Life strives to minimize the safety effects of cruising on ecology and maximize the safety of customers, staff and marine life by ensuring ships are well maintained and environmental and safety regulations are exceeded. Preferences: The Board of Directors(BOD) preference is to be profitable and maintain a positive net income in light of upcoming economic downturn. The G eneral Manager of the Fraser dry dock believes it defines the reputation on BC Coast for Coast4Life safety. Constraints: Cash available on hand is $10,461,000 and an after tax rate of return on 16%.Key Success Factors: Coast4life cruises wants to provide high quality services to the passengers. Refer to the passenger/crew ratio in comparison to industry averages(see Appendix 3-1). Current Financial Analysis(See Appendix 1- Financial Ratios): Ongoing increase to Coast4life’s abilities to meet its short-term obligations. In light of the slight increase of acquiring additional assets, our revenue streams still continues to outmatch this on a steady basis; however, the incremental revenue is declining with each year.Our service offerings grow; generating incremental income each year; nevertheless, Coast Native and Natural Splendour gross margin’s are the same, and each offers different services. Company’s ability to cover interest is growing over the years, and our debts are declining. Coast4Life’s ability to convert investments into profit has increased. Strategic Options: To cut costs. Option#1: Divesture of the Fraser dry dock Pro(s): Gain on sale of $7,274,000; in favour of BOD preferences and in line of providing the necessary funds to maintain incremental financial targets for upcoming economic downturn(see Appendix 3- 2).Con(s): Against general manager’s preference, as can affect the reputation of the company – the quality of safety regulations the company adheres to. Option #2: Registering Coast4Life’s ships in Liberia Pro(s): Wages&Salaries will be cut by 30%; In favour of BOD’s preference to cut costs – $1,423,530 would be saved by outsourcing from Liberia(see Appendix #3- 3). Con(s): Affect quality of service provided by the crew; be against the mission statement Hiring unskilled labour can potentially increase management expenses(Additional Training).Minor options: For materiality purposes with respect to revenue sources the following are minor options to generate additional revenue: Option #1: Switching customer target markets Pro(s): By targeting 40-60 year olds, revenue streams will increase by 20%, which could also increase all financial ratios by the same rate and, thus be in line with the vision statement. This target group can afford a more unique experience given industry annual family income of $78,000. For ages 40 -60 Industry is higher by 8% so we have space to grow and target this age group (see Appendix 3-4). Con(s):By changing target there is no guarantee that revenues will be maintained throughout the downturn in the following fiscal year even with growth in tourism industry in Canada. Option #2: Implement a web-based booking system Pro(s): Can potentially save the company up to $1,341,250 [($2,146,000Ãâ€"10% reduction)/16% after tax rate of return] in travel agent commissions over the life of the company and assist in further increasing the companyâ⠂¬â„¢s activity ratio Can be paid off in less than 4 months. The payback formula proves that no cash is needed to be spent, as through the incremental savings this investment will be recouped(see Appendix 3-5).Cons: Decrease word of mouth advertising via travel agents. Increase global competition due to the online presence. Recommendation Given the uncertain future ahead, it is best to be conservative and in line with the current mission statement for company objectives. It would be best that Fraser dock would be divested and web-based booking system would be implemented. This would cut costs and increase revenues via savings that can be earned without risking the reputation of the company or established revenue stream. With this consideration, the company will still have enough resources to maintain its financial position.

Human Dignity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Dignity - Essay Example Facts and discussion presented in this critical analysis are basically meant to support the claim that â€Å"denying human dignity which is one of the biggest ideologies of human nature through some notorious genetic advancements like cloning and assortative mating can lead the world down a very dangerous path.† This complication is well highlighted and explained by the author by way of judging the valid importance of human dignity against genetic advancements in the chapter. First, the author strives to explain how the concept if human dignity holds importance and should be respected by way of mentioning Factor X and what it professes. Factor X is identified as the basic reason why every human being should be credited with a certain level of respect and dignity. The author justifies his argument by smartly associating Factor X with the need to preserve human dignity by discussing that violating Factor X is like committing a crime against humanity which should be detested. However, many practical examples can be found even in the present world regarding how many times, certain humans are ripped off of their natural rights including dignity only because they belong from a lower class or have a different racial or ethnic background than the ruling class of a society. â€Å"We accord beings with Factor X not just human rights but, if they are adults, political rights as well† (Fukuyama 3). It is claimed in the chapter so as to support the main argume nt that why every human should be considered worthy of a certain level of respect is because Factor X is assigned by God to all humans and also because a human being is able to develop many complex relationships in life with the natural intellect god blesses him/her with which makes human beings become far superior than the rest of natural creation. Secondly, a very important disadvantage is mentioned by the author after discussing Factor X in the

Peppercorn Dining Restaurant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Peppercorn Dining Restaurant - Essay Example Entry is the initial step in the process of consulting and consists of first contact with a client before the formal contracting process has begun (Anderson 105).Contract is an agreement about the desired outcome for consultation, the work that will be done to accomplish the outcomes, the role each party will be play in completing the work, and the financial and other business terms of consulting relationship (Jones and Brazzel). Before a project begins contracting begins with meetings which are not restricted to one meeting but it is a continuous. The formal contract has two parts one is professional agreement regarding the time span of relationships, payments and consultation process steps. The other part is psychological and is not documented. The description of the situation by the manager of Peppercorn Drew to the consultants is the initial process of entry of consultants in the project. The eventual agreement between the manager Drew and the consultants to do some operational a udits is the process of entering the contract between the two parties. There has been a formal process of entry and contracting in the case of Peppercorn dining restaurant. 2. ... data collection: Interviews, surveys, information from focus groups etc., are used for the data collection Data collection: Use of appropriate protocols while using the gathering approach selected. Analysis and interpretation for the data collected: Drawing conclusions and defining the issues and needs to the client based upon data collected. Yes I am satisfied with the quality and quantity of data collected by the consultants of Square One Consulting. The data gathering methods used by the consultants are interviews, data collection from focus groups like managers at the restaurant, representatives from parent dining organization for the university, various student, full time and part time employees and observations. The most important step after data collection is announcing of the project which was done by one of the consultant Erica that the university would be constructing new dining facility and the manager Drew would be head of the new unit. The most important step after data collection is data analysis and interpretation 3. How will you analyze the data collected? How will you make sense of the situation at Peppercorn? The data has been collected through interviews, focus groups and observations. In the phase of data analysis the information is summarized so that they can be useful to make change in Peppercorn dining restaurant. The quantitative data collected are required for number crunching. The qualitative data are analyzed and summarized by the themes. From the data analysis the consultants must be able to picture the situation at Peppercorn Dining Restaurant. The consultants should keep in view of the following aspects during data analysis. They are: Investment required: The cost incurring must be acceptable by the client organization. The time

Value-added Model (VAM) of Teaching Evaluations and Its Implications Research Paper

Value-added Model (VAM) of Teaching Evaluations and Its Implications - Research Paper Example In not more than a decade, there has been a heated debate about the best value-added model of teaching. However, as much as this debate is vital in the effort to offer quality education, less people have an idea of what it entails. The key players in this discussion are people working in the education sector and who in one way or another tend to benefit or lose from value-added teacher evaluation (Early, Imig & Michelli, 2010). With these deliberations, it would be necessary first to understand what value-added model of teaching evaluations entails. The context of value- added model in teaching evaluations The most and obvious meaning of value-added model of teaching is a method of teacher evaluation that gives an account of teacher’s contribution in terms of evaluating current school year test performances of students to performances of the same students in the previous year (Raudenbush, 2004). This also includes comparison of performances of other students in the same level. Value added model also tends to evaluate each teacher’s performance in comparison with performances of other teachers. Nevertheless, this model has not come without criticism. Opponents of this model argue that the use of tests to measure teachers contribution is not scientific and has not been proved by and scientific study (Raudenbush, 2004). Additionally, they argue that some students results and performances are beyond teacher’s reach since some of the factors that determine students performance include behaviors of the students, and, which they claim most of these behaviors are acquired outside tutoring (Cater, 2004). However, it is paramount to focus on issues other than generalizing notions. For example, it is of considerable importance to articulate on possible likelihood of using VAM. Studies have indicated that use of this model will create accountability to teachers and administrators (Schwab, 1991). They tend to shape their behaviors, and work hard to prod ucing top scores in their subjects. The overall intention of this model is to encourage teachers work extra harder by incorporating different teaching strategies to improve achievement of both the students and the school (Nolan & Hoover, 2010). Value added results may also be helpful to teachers in terms of self improvement and setting target (Lissitz, 2005). It has also been argued that results obtained from value- added can be used at school level to improve on different subjects and group of students depending on the level of weakness or strength (Ballou, Sanders & Wright, 2004). With results of value- added from different schools, an evaluation can be done to come up with the best teaching strategy to be adopted in order to streamline all schools performance. It has also been argued that value-added results can help create projections of the level of school performance, which can be used to determine required resources, decision making and planning (Xiaoxia, Darling-Hammond, Hae rtel, & Ewart, 2010). In the context of accountability, value-added model is argued to act as an awakening call for schools in order for them to improve on weak areas to avoid sanctions (Lissitz, 2005). The model also ensures that schools that perform well are rewarded in order to keep the fire burning. The tax money paid to run the school is required to be utilized accordingly. Therefore, schools that incorporate value-added

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 2

Management - Essay Example These students need an appropriate place for completing their assignments and homework projects. In addition, need for friendly studying environment increases during examination period. Therefore, students remain in dire need of an appropriate environmental context to conduct their learning activities. University of Colorado at Denver usually has study rooms and library facilities. However, these rooms open their doors for a limited number of hours. Studies indicates that junior students would use approximately 15 hours, while senior students use 20 hours every week in class work preparations (Seung 89). In this context, it would be appropriate to consider development of a facility that provides a 24/7 study room services around the campus. The main objectives of this project include provision of a user-friendly learning environment for the student population. The first aim is to facilitate availability of a 350-student capacity study room within the facility. This space will accommo date a significant number of students all around the clock. Apart from individual study sections, the facility will have lounges meant for constructive discussions relating to learning processes. The project also takes into consideration the fact that modern learning processes requires utilization of electronic knowledge sources from the internet (Seung 46). Therefore, involved stakeholders will ensure that the UCD facility has fully equipped and operational computer laboratories. Apart from objectives of promoting academic learning, the project will enhance provision of a suitable social atmosphere for the students. This aspect of socialization will be addressed by installation of TV room with entertainment features. In addition, students will acquire employment opportunities through various management related vacancies within the facility. Addition of a snack vendor kiosk will facilitate generation of funds that can be used to improve service delivery within the facility. In gener al, integration of all these aspects within the project will serve the purpose of providing a satisfactory and cost effective environment for studying. Students who would prefer to conduct their learning activities at unconventional hours will benefit from this project. In this regard, facility management will ensure development of a sustainable secure atmosphere that will substantially increase studying time for the university students. In order to ensure objective development of a feasible project proposal, the concerned team will apply inherent efforts in involving relevant authorities in their respective roles. Relevant authorities within the project’s work structure would include the university’s administration. Relevant information needs to reach the campus management in a timely manner. In this case, timely provision of relevant data increases chances of project approval from the administration. Apart from the campus directorate, numerous logistical permits will be necessary during construction exercise. In this case, city authorities will play a significant role in enabling commencement of construction plans implementations. Timely provision of rational information should reach city officials in order to appraise the quality and validity of the project in meeting its objectives. This means that suitable communication techniques and channels will facilitate acquisition of relevant permits from city

The problem of realism in Animation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The problem of realism in Animation - Essay Example The essay "The problem of realism in Animation" analyzes he issue with Realism in the context of animation. Contemporary film production has and currently, is undergoing a rapid makeover ever since the onset of digital revolution. Film makers today, storyboard, shoot and edit their films with the assistance of computer manipulation of images commonly referred to as digital imagery. With respect to the ordinary audience, the most evident relevance of these technologies is the new wave of computer generated and computer enhanced special effects which are capable of generating outstanding graphic images – which have conquered new heights and reached the epitome of visual excellence. Examples include: the watery creature in The Alyss (1989) or the glistening, irregular shaped Terminator 2 (1991). The images viewed in these movies were unlike any of those witnessed previously. However, such swift transformations and the resultant changes is creating grave setbacks for film theory f or the reason that the digital manipulation of ordinary images is so original and the artistic potential it presents are so unparalleled, that its impact on cinematic depiction as well as on the viewer's reaction are inadequately understood. This paper seeks to analyze, explore and discuss the various aspects involved in animation with respect to its relativity to realism. Realism in visual arts and literature refers to the representation of themes, premises and characters as they appear in everyday life, devoid of exaggeration.

Resort Taxonomy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Resort Taxonomy - Assignment Example The explanation that the current categorization methods are based on some specific recreational activities or specific features that a resort possesses, is not also mentioned. The objection on such a classification is that a resort may fall into several categories this way. There is also not mention how clarity in categorization can be achieved by classifying resorts in mutually distinct categories. While explaining the resort classification criteria, the content has skillfully explained how it differs from existing methods. However, it fails to mention why only four categories and made for resorts and how they seem to classify all types of resorts. Definition of Resort Further on, the fact that why resorts have different overlapping definitions and why people seem comfortable to keep the definition of it broad has been ignored. The point to investigate is what people generally think of when resort is mentioned e.g. even if resorts fall in multiple categories, what are the basic feat ures that every resort should possess that people generally think of? The existing processes do not specifically provide clarity in classifying resorts; however it fails to mention the features of a resort that makes the categorization unclear in existing processes. One point raised is that resort is termed for even those places that possess non resort properties. Once again it fails to mentions what non resort properties are. ... It does mention that the approach may help the academics who carry out researches. No highlighting of how those classifications may help the consumers who will be targeted as a result of these researches and how to make the classification process understandable for them has been bothered about.. If we see from the review of the literature, the existing definitions of a resort also relied on the characteristics that a resort possesses. An attractive way of description on how the newly found definition maps to expectations and interpretations of consumers of resorts has been made. There is also a mention and explanation that there is a six pointer definition that is derived for a resort after this research. These six points are agreed upon by the industry people who agreed to appear in the interview so it reflects the agreed upon points in a definition. No points of disagreement between the professionals have mentioned, suggested or argued. The points of disagreement may help future re search in determining what factors usually do not matter to the consumers and which ones do not impact the people who belong for people who belong with the resort business. It also highlights which features actually belong to other categories of hotel stay and what reflect a true essence of vacation. It has successfully managed to discuss the implications of the definition in terms of consumer expectations of a resort. The comprehensive definition seems to encompass all what a consumer desires for in a resort. After the successive rounds of interviews, the definition is formed of a resort and it concludes that the industry professionals agree on the fact that the definition of a resort should comprise on the fact that it should encompass the amenities and features

Good VS Evil Essay Example for Free

Good VS Evil Essay There are many different gangs; some only allow certain races or colors to be considered part of the gang. Other gangs require an entrance fee which includes doing something to prove you are worthy to become part of the gang. This is anywhere from sexual acts to thievery to violent crimes to include killing people. The age range of gangs varies tremendously and includes ages from 9 years to 40 years and even beyond in some cases. There is a gang called The Satanic Cult who is based in the Gaithersburg, MD area. Their actions are pretty synonymous with their name. They practice in the ways of ritual animal and human sacrifices. Those that were not Caucasians were not allowed as well as those who had brown hair. The age range varies within this gang and there is no specific entry fee but the moment the gang feels you are no longer part of the gang they will then kill you. The Crips are from Los Angeles and are predominantly African American. This gang is one of the largest in the US and is involved in numerous murders, robberies, drugs and other various forms of criminal activity. They are also always in open warfare with the Bloods, also from Los Angeles. The Bloods are similar to the Crips and were originally the Crips back in 1970 until an internal war started which separated the original gang. The bloods show much disrespect to the Crips and are generally involved in the same thing as the Crips. Both can be found in the US and Military databases as threats. The Mexican mafia, yet another faction in Los Angeles teaches their children from a very young age on how to hold and operate a gun, helps their friends and neighbors with drugs, mainly heroin and is prevalent with car jackings so that the parts can be sold on the black market. Everything this gang does is done broadly and openly among all family members, regardless of their age. In Oregon there is a different type of gang and that is the outlaw motorcycle related gangs. One of these gangs is called the Mongrols and have four different chapter is the Eugene and Central Oregon area. Their ultimate punishment for infractions is to beat to death, the person who allegedly did wrong against the club. Their main operations include motorcycle jackings, drugs, prostitution, trafficking, and assaults and have additional chapters in both Australia and Germany. There is an estimated 1 million gang members throughout the US. The majority of them are involved in various criminal activities and there are only a few gangs who do good. Motorcycle gangs from The American Legions across the US do rides together for the benefit of children. So even though this is a small percentage, it goes to show not all gangs are bad, granted the majority of them are. References Alonso, A. Los Angeles Gangs (c. 1999) http://www. streetgangs. com/history/history. html Mac. Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs Flying Colors in Oregon. 2008 http://nwhog. wordpress. com/2008/05/08/outlaw-motorcycle-gangs-flying-colors-in-oregon/

The Vision Of Audi Company Marketing Essay

The Vision Of Audi Company Marketing Essay Mr.August Hoch originated a company named Horch and Co in 1899 and then he developed his first automobile in 1901. As he encountered management problem, he left his company in 1909 and created a new company called Audi afterward. The brand of Audi Automobile in 1910 was GmbH and Audi continue to produce cars until the First World War. In 1931, Auto Union was formed. Before Second World War, this union among manufacturers had prodigious success. Manufacturers had a new start in Ingolstadt, Germany after the war as a lot of military vehicles maintenance and spare parts were needed. Since Auto Union unable to generate massive profit, the company was closed in 1960 and coincidently permitted the rediscovery of Audi. The vision of Audi Company is Audi- the premium brand. Audi Company emphasized its core brand Audi on the challenges of the future when adopting its strategy 2020. This strategy became firmer contour since Year 2011 because the mission of Audi Company We delight customers worldwide was explored deeper. Audi products are convincing in its brand values, sportiness, permissiveness and also superiority. The mission statement also plays an important role on the path to lead Audi to become the leading premium brand. Audi defined its customer delight in four areas of action which are, we define innovation, we live responsibility, we create experience, and we shape Audi. There are also four objectives of Audi Company which are continuous growth, superior financial growth, global image leader and attractive employer worldwide. Generally, target market is defined by gender, age, social-economic grouping, geography or any other combination of demographics. Audi Company targets on upper middle class consumers which comprises of professional employees at the upper level of company ladder, celebrities and businessman. Besides that, most of the Audi products are designed to be high in velocity therefore Audi targets male rather than female as according to surveys, majority of the female will not purchase a automobile because of its high velocity but they are only focusing on the artistic design and comfort level that a vehicle can offer whereas for men, high velocity will be the main criteria. Moreover, male which have age ranging from 30 to 65 years old are more preferred because Audi, for now, are non-economical product, it is impossible for young men who are still fresh in the society to afford a luxury car. Marketing Mix Strategies Promotion Promotion is one of the key elements of marketing mix strategies that informing, persuading and influencing a consumer decision. The components of the promotion mix are personal selling, advertising, sales promotion, publicity and direct marketing. Audi implemented a strong marketing strategy consisting of digital and television advertising in order to hit their target sales. According to the journal Audi all-time sales record driven by strong digital advertising, it stated that Audis TV advertising helping it top 100,000 vehicles sold in United States for the first time in 2010(Rachel Lamb, 2010). Besides that, another Audi strong initiative is its social media and digital strategy. For instance, Audi consistently updates its company news or products new feature through social networking sites such as Facebook and its own Web to make sure consumer can get the latest news instantly. Direct marketing is a channel that allows business to communicate straight to the customer. As a major car manufacturer, Audi does not only focus on innovation but also tried to attract new customer. Audi targeted prospective buyers with a mailer which using Royal Mails Mailsort ® 1400 service to deliver it. This mailer would deliver the new technological features that the new vehicle model had. Sales promotion is one of the key elements in promotion strategy that offer incentives for buyer to purchase the selected items. However, Audi doesnt do much sales promotion compare to other car companies such as Toyota, Nissan and Honda. The sales promotion of Audi company deals offered only happen at dealership level. They usually dont rely on these kinds of promotions because Audi has already established their brand in the automobiles world. Moreover, Audi utilizes personal selling techniques in their entire retail store. The salesperson in Audi retail stores are knowledgeable of the brand and should be trained to understand what their customers are looking for. Personal selling can be considered as an important source of marketing information. The salesperson should act as problem solvers and advisor for customer rather than using hard-selling strategy, it might help Audi to build a long-term relationship with customers. Besides that, Audi also sends representatives to retail stores to keep sale associate up to date on their merchandise and the technology behind to give the consumer better feel of the product. Pricing Marketers are concern on the pricing strategy with the objectives to be competitive and to raise profit as well as return on investment. Setting the right price is vital to trigger the companys impressions towards the potential customers. Audi as a luxurious brand with prestige brand image hires premium pricing as one of its pricing strategies. The price of a product will affect customers perceptions towards its quality. Customers often associate prestige with high prices because it is common that high quality raw materials and components are never cheap. Therefore it is reasonable for Audi to position its brand through premium pricing. According to Bojan IliĆ¡ and Vesna MiliĆ¡eviĆ¡, the business history of a number of enterprises proved that reducing in price for certain prestige products brought negative effect on sales. In fact, Audi automobiles, the quality leader, are always for society of at least upper-middle class. Below is a diagram regarding price-quality strategies. pricing strategy.jpg Source: www.atkinson.yorku.ca Besides, like other automobile companies, Audi also uses optional product pricing. All companies will not hesitate to increase the amount customers spend once they start purchasing, so do Audi. There are optional or extra products or equipment for customers to add on to their automobiles. For instance, customers can choose to equip their vehicles with pearl colour effect with an additional charge of RM4,000 or the normal one. Other optional equipments that Audi offers are Bang Olufsen sound system, electronically opening closing tailgate, panaromic glass roof and MMI navigation system with reverse camera. Another pricing strategy that Audi employs is geographical pricing strategy. This pricing strategy is quite useful as there are variations in prices in different parts of the world. A very good example is that Audi vehicles are cheaper in Langkawi Island than in Peninsular Malaysia. This strategy may not seem fair for areas which pay higher price but Audi makes professional pricing decision based on the distance and economic situation of the those areas to avoid negative impact on the demand of its products. Product Product strategy includes tangible and intangible elements. Tangible products are things that we can see, touch, and feel whereas intangible products comprise things such as the image of the offering and the psychological aspects of pricing. For instance, customer will form a perception that expensive goods are usually high quality products. As known worldwide, Audi produces different types and classes of luxury cars to suit the taste and preference of the demanding customers. Automobile that Audi offer ranges from normal family suite sedan car to throttling speed sports cars. However, the technology use in building each automobile is similar which fulfill two of the product strategy criteria- product features and product quality. The body frames of the cars that Audi produces are fully galvanized to prevent corrosion and rusting. Additionally, the full-body zinc coating has proved to be very effective in preventing rust. Moreover, the bodys resulting durability even surpassed Audis own expectations, causing the manufacturer to extend its original 10-year warranty against corrosion perforation to currently 12 years and this factor has form a perception for the customer that Audi automobiles are superior in quality and cars made to last. Besides body frame, even the space frame and engine, all are building using high quality materials. Furthermore, the design and layout of the automobile are attractive and unique. Audi refused to adopt the traditional rear-wheel drive layout favored by its two arch rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW, preferring either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Besides, Audi also have a deep length of product line. Audi Company target both upper class and middle class customers by producing normal sedan cars to sports cars and even MPV cars. The models are classified into normal Audi cars, Audi coupà ©s and SUVs, S (Sport) and RS (RennSport/Racing) models. With each of these category lines, Audi came out various models with different design and specification so that it can further penetrate the market of automobiles. Additionally, Audi also apply branding strategy where the brand of Audi symbolizes the four overlapping rings. The four rings represent the four labels of Auto Union: Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer. Place Under marketing mix strategy, place actually is refer to distribution of the product. This means that all aspects which related to how goods and services are transfer from the producer to the end consumer. This also indicates that how is the coordination of wholesalers or retailers involved in moving those products from head office, factory or warehouse, to the end consumer. Audi sites comprise the two German plants in the worldwide network, which are in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm. There are seven production facilities which are in China, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Slovakia, Spain and Belgium. The channels using by Audi is from producer to distributor to wholesaler to dealer and to customer. Euromobil Sdn Bhd is one of the distributors for Audi who buys large quantities of Audi cars from manufacturer and then creates smaller units and delivers the cars to their customer. It opened a state-of-the-art Audi Hangar which cost around RM30 million to provide as a one-stop centre for Audi customers. With well-equipped work bays, Euromobil intend to provide a complete services support and convenience to Audi customers. Audi also expanded its distribution network by opening a brand new showroom in the financial capital which located in Mumbai. Car dealers are important in promoting and selling their products. A dealer network and team understand what a brand, product, enterprise, competition and consumers really mean is the key to Audis success in marketing. Audi City London is an innovative dealership experience delivered by one of the most advanced technology retail environment. This digital environment features multi-touch display help configuring Audi vehicle from millions of possible combinations. This will help people place greater emphasis on a direct personal bond of trust with their vehicle brand. In addition, Audi are very convenience to access, there are sold in specialized outlets, shopping mall and also major department stores. For example, there was an Audi Display zone from 31 August to 2 September 2012 at Orion Mall, Malleswaram. Therefore, people will easily get the latest information about Audi and can easily get them. Market Opportunities Audi was known as one of the top automobile producer in the world for its sports series cars and also normal sedans which are the dream cars of almost all car owners. By just relying on the current market will not be sufficient for the rapidly changing customer preferences but to come up with new innovative ideas to maintain and expand its market opportunities. We discovered a way that Audi Company might find it useful way in grabbing its market opportunity by modifying its cars especially the S (sports) and RS (RennSport/Racing) models to strengthen the image of the company by building fantastic sports series cars that no one ever built. To be outstanding, Audi must produce car which beyond what everyone is doing which is having a jet powered engine with the complement of rocket building material which are able to withstand intensive heat and even can absorb large impact during collision, and the last one will be the fuelling system will be 100% eco-friendly and economical. The first step is to use a jet engine instead of the normal valve engine to be empowered its car. By applying the jet powered engine inside our sports cars which approximately will reach a speed of 450mph, it will replace Bugatti Veyron to be the fastest sports car in the world and lets name it as Audi TurBoo. It is a limited edition product. Although Audi TurBoo is such a high velocity sports car it still can withstand a large impact when collide with object. To complement its high velocity, Audi company should joint venture with one of the rocket building company that supply rocket and rocket spare parts to NASA- Rockwell International company, by having their supply on building material, technology and labor power (expertise) they can build the car chesses using titanium and aluminum to help keep the car weight down which contributes to faster velocity and higher resistance against any impact. Furthermore, the car body will be build using the same material but in the middle of the two pieces of metal it contains the Reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) and thermal tiles which are the components that provide for the most heat protection for a during breaking through our atmosphere and out to space, these material are used where reentry temperature exceeds 1,260  °C (2,300  °F). For the last thing that customer ever considers about is the fueling system. The fuel is cheaper than the price of a liter of petrol can cost. First of all, for the fuel part, the cars are going to run on liquid hydrogen and oxygen, Hydrogen, a light and extremely powerful propellant it has the lowest molecular weight of any known substance and burns with extreme intensity (5,500 °F). In combination with an oxidizer such as liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen yields the highest specific impulse, or efficiency in relation to the amount of propellant consumed, of any known propellant and yet they also are storable, transportable, reliable, less complex and the most important thing is it just 98cents per gallon. Other than modifying a sports car, Audi should form a subsidiary company to target younger middle market which is the majority population. The subsidiary company adopts operation of the parents company and is under the supervision of Audi. We suggest that the name of the new subsidiary company to be JIMT, this name is created based on the initial of four founders of the new subsidiary company and it is easy to be pronounced and remembered. JIMT Atom is a mini sized economical car produce under Audi Company which target at young and upper-middle class buyers. The small but perfectly formed JIMT Atom takes the small luxury car spoils for comfortable compare to other mini sized car. On the move, it makes consumer feels as solid and composed as Audis bigger and more expensive models vehicle, while the petrol and diesel engine delivers a strong blend of performance and economy. As despite its premium image, Audi would not cost a fortune to run this project. An attractively priced, low tax bills, rock-solid resale values and pre-paid servicing package help Audi keep running costs to a minimum level. Besides, standard feature of JIMT Atom include LED interior lighting package, Xenon plus headlamps, light and rain sensor as well as automatic air conditioning. The LED interior lighting provides several alternatives of lighting for the interior of JIMT Atom. Furthermore, Xenon plus headlamps use less energy consumption and last longer than standard dipped lights. The light, rain and air condition sensor is an optional feature in which headlights, wiper and air condition function automatically according to the weather. Among the advantages of owning a small car like JIMT Atom is fuel saving because it consumes lesser fuel and energy without affecting the performance standard. As many people emphasize on maneuverability of vehicles, small cars are easier to control and are much easier to park in crowded parking spaces. Moreover, JIMT Atom is able to pick up speed more quickly than other heavier vehicles. Recommendations To implement the market opportunities that mentioned above, Audi Company is suggested to hire world famous celebrity to be the spokesperson of their developed products. Celebrities not only bring enormous impact toward their adorers but also influence the publics purchasing behaviour. The reason behind this phenomena is because public has the psychological perception that a product is of superior quality with the renowned spokesperson. This also indirectly promotes the new innovated products through the spokespersons popularity. For instance, we suggest Audi Company to hire a young pop star such as Girls Generation, Justin Bieber and Hyuna to advertise JIMT Atom. JIMT Company will sponsor JIMT Atom to the contracted spokesperson for the usage in his/her concert, movie or music video. By this way, the rate of exposure of JIMT Atom will be higher rather than displaying in the traditional showroom. Therefore, the chain effect of hiring young pop star is increase in sales by obtaining support from younger generation as they would like to imitate their idols trend. Moreover, increasing rate of exposure leads to strong brand position and preference which caused JIMT Atom to become the first brand choice whenever the public think of buying a vehicle. As for Audi TurBoo, we would like to recommend Audi Company to hire a famous racer such as Michael Schumacher and sponsor him a brand new Audi TurBoo for racing competition. With his professional skills and techniques, we are pretty sure that this sports car best suited him as he has the capability to bring out the innate qualities of Audi TurBoo. Thus, the strengths of this product are explicitly revealed and intensely impress the public. Hence, public confidence towards Audi Company will be greatly boosted making the reliability of Audis product to be increase undoubtedly. In order to obtain higher profit, we propose Audi Company to organize a tour which permits Audis loyal customer to have a visit at Audis manufacturing department with the main objective to deliver the information about Audis high credibility and guaranteed product quality. Potential customers will have the opportunity to recognize the utmost effort of Audis management before a product is being commercialized to the market. Paying a visit to the manufacturing department also allows the visitors to witness the conscientiousness of Audis workers in accomplishing their tasks. In return, loyal supporters will definitely transform as advocators and circulate the good name of Audi to the people whom they associate. Since buying a vehicle is a high involvement purchasing decision, inviting potential customers for a tour to the manufacturing department, in fact, is helping them to collect as much information as possible which they absolutely need in making a purchasing decision. By comparing the information gathered, customers can easily differentiate the merits of JIMT Atom or Audi TurBoo with other similar products such as Mini Cooper Coupe, Volkswagen Beetle, BMW Z4 coupe and Lamborghini Gallardo. As for the welfare of potential customers, this may assist them in making a right investment decision as well as improve customer satisfaction. As mentioned, Audi TurBoo is a limited edition product in which its core purpose is to enhance the brand image rather than gain profit because of its high technological product which signifies a logo of success. Although Audi TurBoo is unaffordable for majority, producing Audi TurBoo will not cause a penny loss to the company but instead the up surged brand image boost up the sales of other products of Audi, a few example, JIMT Atom, Audi R8 and Audi A6. Audi TurBoo symbolizes the highest achievement of prestige automobile industry, resulting Audi Company as the quality leader and placing Audi in the most competitive position in continuous motion. In a nutshell, we strongly recommend Audi to set up subsidiary company- GIMT and produce GIMT Atom under the umbrella of Audi and implement the concept of Audi TurBoo into practice to enhance the sales of all ranges of Audi products. Conclusion In summary, Audi Company fully utilized the 4Ps marketing mix strategies to produce their products with its luxurious, exclusive capability to display style and comfort together to improve customers satisfaction and attract new customers. Audi keep tracks with the needs and wants of the people and designs its cars to meet the requirements of the people to gain sales for its company. Moreover, Audi has shown its significant progress in the field of technological innovations and superiority as it puts a lot of attentiveness and effort to success in automobile industry. The Audi Company also employed workers who are dedicated and hardworking and those workers really formed Audi excellently with their innovative, creative and class-apart design. From this assignment, we can understand and gain more knowledge about 4Ps marketing mix strategies. Besides that, we also know that how important marketing strategy and marketing mix for a company to success in the market and also the way how company can use marketing mix effectively to sustain competitively in the market. Through this assignment, we also know that creativity and innovative in developing new products is very important to gain competitive advantages among its competitors. 3483words